


Payphone

by Slayerwithredhair



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Anger, Blood and Gore, Cancer, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Smut, Fighting, M/M, Minor Character Death, Slow Burn, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-06
Updated: 2018-05-30
Packaged: 2019-03-01 05:22:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 39,821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13287888
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Slayerwithredhair/pseuds/Slayerwithredhair
Summary: Six months after the final battle in Beacon Hills, a restless Liam receives a phone call from Theo asking for help. Liam goes after him solo to bring him back. Theo brings trouble everywhere he goes and Beacon Hills isn't exactly short on trouble, especially when rogue hunters are finding their way back to the pack.





	1. Pack

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNINGS:  
> Possible triggers in this chapter include cancer and response to cancer, also blood, gore, depictions of death, violence.
> 
> Notes at the end for spoilers and the character with cancer.

“Kira?”

“How is she texting from the Skinwalkers’ world?”

“Well clearly they have set up a dimension with cell service.” Stiles mocked the beta’s question.

“Malia found her then?” Lydia smiled, she knew her friend wouldn’t fail. It had been almost six months since Monroe and her army had fallen, their leader disappearing into smoke. The dust had settled, and everyone was beginning to relax, think about their own futures. Yet out of everyone it had been Lydia and Malia who had thought about Kira. The pack had defeated demon after demon, monster after monster but when one of their own had been in trouble they had sent her away to another species for who knows how long. _She’s one of us. We don’t leave people behind_. That had been Lydia’s argument. She had only confided in Malia, unsure how the alpha would react just yet. Malia had agreed, she had thought the whole thing with the Skinwalkers was pointless from the beginning, if she could live as a coyote for years and still master humanity –more or less- then Kira could tackle her fox without extra dimensional interference. 

“I can’t believe she actually did it.” Scott muttered, more to himself than anyone else. 

“Come on, if anyone can walk straight in there without care for who tells her not to it’s Mali-“ Stiles grinned.

“No I mean Kira” Scott interrupted, “She must have gotten control, already, I mean they said it could take thousands of years!”

“Either that or she got tired of waiting and when Malia showed up she packed her bags, Skinwalker training be damned.” Mason raised his eyebrows and Stiles nodded giving Mason a point as if to say _What he said_. 

The pack was clustered around Scott’s kitchen. Malia had disappeared to find Kira and bring her back before Lydia had broken the news to Scott. Stiles had known although she hadn’t told him- not to keep a secret from him but because she knew she’d have to ask him to keep it from Scott for the moment and she wouldn’t ask him to do that- but he wasn’t stupid and he knew Lydia, even from FBI school he had known what was going on with her; not hers and Malia’s plan exactly but he knew she wasn’t ok. She was still dealing badly ever since losing Alison. She hadn’t grieved properly, being caught up with all their battles and fights she had buried it and now other things had caused her loss to bubble up to the surface again, and he knew she couldn’t face losing anyone else, Kira included. She needed her friend back. And even if for nothing else, that was reason enough to bring her back: for Lydia. 

“Isn’t this going to be awkward for you?” Liam looked at Scott. “You know with Malia and everything?”

Scott gave him a half smile back, “No, Malia and me are good.” Stiles was the only person Scott had told about the real reason he and Malia had split up. Malia had told Lydia, but her sexuality was something Malia wanted to explore herself before broadcasting to the pack. 

“You think it’ll take a fortnight for them to get back too?” Corey mused, not looking up from the book he was engrossed in. He and Mason were sitting in the living room, apparently the only ones who actually cared about still studying.

“I wouldn’t if I were them. Poor girl’s been stuck in the twilight zone for a year, I’d want to take my time enjoying the world before getting back.” Stiles grinned at the strawberry blonde next to him, she rolled her eyes fondly.

“Not if she still hasn’t got control.” Scott said quietly, moving from the room. After a look at Lydia, Stiles went to follow him. 

“You ok, buddy?” The front door closed behind them and Scott took a deep breath outside.

“I think so. I dunno, I think I’m nervous.” He frowned a little, but he couldn’t stop a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

“A true alpha getting nervous about seeing his ex-girlfriend. Who would’ve thought.”

Scott smiled at his best friend and looked across the road, lost in thought.

 

* * *

 

“Mom?” Lydia called into the empty house as soon as she walked through the door. She could feel that she was alone in the house but she called for her mom all the same.

Stiles rubbed a comforting hand across her shoulders and she leaned into it for a second before sighing and walking into the kitchen and putting shopping bags on the counter. She began moving around, putting things away as if in a trance. He watched her for a minute before taking her shoulders and gently turning her into him. She wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his chest.

“Do you have to leave tomorrow?” She whispered, even though she knew the answer.

He smoothed a hand through her hair. “I’m already in the shit for skipping this week. Next time you plan to give my best friend a mental breakdown give me more than a days notice so I can stage something.”

She smiled into the fabric of his shirt, breathing in his smell. Today’s impromptu pack meeting had been called by the alpha as soon as he had received the text message from the kitsune. Lydia had told him about her plan to bring Kira back a couple of days ago. Her mom had had a bad day and she had called Stiles coming clean about everything and asking for his help, saying that she couldn’t keep something from the pack anymore. Not when she needed her family more than ever. Scott had been surprisingly calm about the whole thing. At least until today- cue spontaneous meeting in his kitchen

The front door opened.

“Stiles?”

“Dad?”

The sheriff smiled at Lydia and his son and held the door open for Lydia’s mom. She smiled weakly at her daughter who hurried to her, taking her weight. Stiles raised his eyebrows at his dad who gave him a grave look back. Lydia ducked her head and took her mother to the kitchen but Stiles knew she had seen the look. Natalie looked very thin, her body frail and looking so much older than he knew she was. She had been diagnosed three months ago. Stiles had fought it at first, convinced they should be hunting down the supernatural threat that had made his girlfriend’s mother sick. But Lydia had known, before anyone else she had known. He didn’t know how long she had been hiding from the knowledge inside her head but she’d felt the cancer creeping toward her mother like the unstoppable turn of the earth. The only question now was how long she had left. He knew the answer was there but somehow Lydia had managed to block herself from it. His dad glanced at him then tilted his head at the door, Stiles nodded. His dad had been there for Natalie and Lydia from the first moment, checking in on her, taking over from Lydia and going to the hospital with her on occasion. Stiles wished he could be here himself but he knew Lydia would blame herself if he screwed up his FBI training.

Lydia was sitting across from her mother, hands wrapped around hers. He walked into the kitchen and placed a kiss on the top of Lydia’s head. She closed her eyes and smiled.

“I love you.”

“I love you.”

He squeezed Natalie’s hand, “I’ll see you soon.” 

“Bye Stiles.” She whispered, there was a smile in her voice but it sounded weak and far away.

Noah shut the door behind him and turned to wrap his arms around his son. Stiles sniffed into his shoulder for a minute, gripping his dad back as though he could hold him still on this earth forever, as if in this moment he could save him from every illness that could ever take his father away from him. Then he stepped back, wiping his eyes and stepped down the front steps toward the car. 

 

* * *

 

Liam was sitting at the dining room table. Everyone else had left. Stiles had gone with Lydia first, she wasn’t around as much these days. Her mom was getting worse and they all knew the day was coming when Lydia would be left alone and no amount of supernatural teenagers or magic could stop nature. Mason and Corey had followed shortly after, Corey wanting to get about an hour in with Deaton before calling it a night. Liam thought about his best friend’s boyfriend, the nerd was cramming like crazy for finals and yet he was spending every free minute he did not have with Deaton learning as much as he could. Liam had asked Mason if he wanted to come over, play video games until Corey was done but Mason said he wanted to get some of his own studying done – and that Liam should too! He had smirked saying he would, but here he was still sitting in Scott’s kitchen waiting for the alpha to get back from running Corey to the animal clinic. Mason was happy to take him but it was in the opposite direction for him and Scott wanted to call in at the hospital and take Melissa some food as she was on nights and it wasn’t far from the animal clinic. 

Scott could tell Liam was restless, bored perhaps? Either way he wasn’t quite himself so he’d asked him to wait until he got back so he and his beta could chat. Liam spun his phone between his thumb and forefinger lazily, not really looking at anything in particular when it buzzed into life. He looked at it for the first time and the flashing name on the screen read ‘Argent’. Liam frowned at it, realising it wasn’t his phone, he must have picked up Scott’s by mistake. It buzzed again and he swiped across to answer it. 

“Hey, Argent.”

“Hey- Scott?” Argent recognised the sound of someone other than Scott immediately.

“It’s Liam. Scott’s gone to the hospital, he left his phone behind.” The beta stood up and glanced around the dining room looking for his own cell.

“Right. I know Melissa is working so I was going to ask him if he wanted a take out. You too if you’re there?” Argent’s warm voice made some of the tension drain from Liam’s shoulders he didn’t know he was carrying.

“Sure. I mean he took Melissa some food but I’m pretty sure he didn’t cook himself any so that’d be great.” Liam dug his phone out from its hiding place down the side of one of the couch cushions, deadpan eyes glaring at the empty seat as if Mason’s butt imprint could take the blame for his best friend stealing his phone- again. 

“Pizza good with you guys? I won’t be long.” 

“Awesome. See you soon.” Liam hung up and absently put Scott’s phone in his pocket, swiping his own phone unlocked and going straight to his phone book. His friend was nothing if not predictable. Sure enough, all of his regular contacts had been renamed under stupid names. Liam rolled his eyes, he was going to kill Mason. Scott’s phone went off again and Liam dug into his pocket, swiping across and answering without looking at the screen, probably Argent checking what they wanted. 

“Scott?”

Liam froze.

He knew that voice. The smooth cocky tone hauntingly familiar.

“Theo?” 

There was a long silence. Liam was beginning to think he had misheard and he had probably just freaked the shit out of Argent when Theo’s voice drifted down the line again.

“Liam?”

Liam pulled the phone from his ear and looked at the number, he didn’t recognise it and Scott clearly didn’t have it saved.

Liam returned the phone back to his ear, frowning in confusion. “Where are you?” He wasn’t quite sure why that was the first thing he said but it was sure as hell the thing he wanted an answer to now. 

“Um… Arizona.” His voice sounded far away and Liam struggled to hear him.

“Ok… Wait, h-”

“Liam, where’s Scott?” Theo successfully shut up Liam’s fumbling, urgency clearly coming across in his voice.

“He isn’t here. He went out, left his phone behind.” After half a beat he added, “You ok?” Unsure whether he meant it in relation to the current phone call or in general but Theo’s answer surprised him.

“Yeah… Not really. That’s why I called. I need his help.”

Liam stayed silent, waiting for Theo to explain further. He didn’t. 

“Well um, want me to get him to call you?” He knew he didn’t sound very convincing. He and Theo weren’t friends, not even close but they had fought side by side against the hunters and while everyone else had tried to send Theo back to hell Liam had given him a chance. He paused, he wasn’t really sure where this train of thought was going, he couldn’t even explain it properly to himself but he did know that if and when he had expected Theo to return or call he hadn’t expected him to shut him out in favour of Scott. Scott who for all his leadership and strength still allowed his petty prejudice to get in the way of allowing Theo into the pack.

“No.” Theo’s answer was clipped, making a muscle in Liam’s jaw tick with annoyance. He’d been on the phone less than two minutes and the asshole was already pissing him off.

“Why?” 

“Because I’m on a payphone. Call probably won’t get through and if it does I’m not sticking around.”

“Why are you on a payphone?” Liam’s anger was replaced with confusion.

“Because I don’t have a phone.” Theo responded slowly the same way someone would speak as if ending the sentence with ‘duh’.

“Why don’t you have a phone?” 

“Because I lost it a couple months ba- Liam, it’s really not important.”

“You’ve seriously been without a phone for two months…” Liam wondered idly, what does he do when he’s bored? How does he play Flappy Bird?

“Liam!”

“Hmm?”

“When will Scott be back?”

“Dunno. Maybe twenty minutes.” He heard Theo sigh from far away as if he had taken the phone away from his ear to do so. “Why, what’s going on?”

He waited, could hear the chimera considering whether to tell him or not. He was about to snap about not being a little beta anymore when the older boy’s voice drifted through the line. “They’re after me. Pretty close, I don’t know if I can outrun them and I need Scott to know what’s happened in case- you know.” 

Liam's mind stood still for a minute. “Have I just entered a parallel universe?”

“What?” Theo’s voice sounded impatient.

“So you’ve been MIA, fighting for the good cause and they’re about to get to you and you want Scott to know about your noble self-sacrificing act before you die a hero’s death?” He sat down at the table hard and propped the arm holding the phone on the table. “Six months later and you’re still full of shit.”

“What? No, urgh Liam, for fuc-”

“Are you still trying to get into the pack? Is that it?”

“Just shut your stupid mouth and listen! Write this down…” Liam didn’t move. “Liam just write this address down, I need you to give it to Scott.” Liam rolled his eyes but pulled out his own phone, grunting at Theo to go ahead. He typed the address into his phone. It took a few hits for google to recognise it but eventually it turned up as an old abandoned warehouse outside Tucson. Liam didn’t say anything as he searched through his phone. Then he heard Theo sigh.

“Look give him the address or don’t, I don’t care. I’m gonna be around there for a couple days hopefully. If he doesn’t come I’ll leave what I have in there, he can find it. Or not. Whatever.”

“Hold on, so-”

“I gotta go.”

“Wait-”

“Bye, Liam.” The sound of Theo saying his name vanished as the line went dead. 

It took Liam a couple of seconds for him to move the phone from his ear. What the hell was that? Was this another trick Theo was pulling to try and get into the pack? Somehow though, it didn’t feel like it. But then what was the alternative? Theo actually calling for help from a payphone?

Theo had disappeared pretty quick after Monroe had been defeated. He’d stuck around for a couple days, beginning to blend in with the pack, but then he had just disappeared. And no one had seemed to even notice. Liam and Scott had fought more than once about it. He’d tried to tell Scott that bringing Theo to the pack meetings while maintaining that Theo was still only an ally would piss him off. And sure enough he had disappeared pretty quickly after the first pack meeting but even Theo in a sulk wouldn’t last this long. So where had he been?

It was curiosity that finally drove Liam to stand up and put his coat on. Curiosity. Not concern. That’s what he was telling himself when he walked into the door. Actually the door walked into him. Well it opened as he was about to walk through it, successfully hitting him in the face.

“Oh Liam, I’m sorry, are you ok?” Argent put a hand on Liam’s shoulder to steady him and looked at his face. Liam nodded grumbling through his nose. “Are you leaving?” The older man gestured at Liam’s coat. 

After considering lying for a moment, Liam nodded. “It’s Theo. He needs help.”

Argent furrowed his brow. “Ok… Where?”

“Tucson.”

He took a deep breath and took the pizza boxes on the table. “And you’re just going to go?” Liam shrugged. “You sure Scott’s going to be ok with that?”

“To be honest I’m not sure I’m ok with it.”

“Ahh-”

“Don’t tell him?” Liam pleaded looking up through raised eyebrows.

Argent smiled kindly but regarded Liam seriously, “You know I can’t promise that.”

“Then just don’t tell him _yet_.” Argent opened his mouth but didn’t say anything. Liam pressed on, “Just give me a couple days. You don’t have to lie to him just tell him I said to trust me.” He knew what he was asking but he didn’t know what to expect and somehow he still felt the responsibility for Theo he had had thrust upon him when he brought him back from hell. Whatever shit Theo had got himself into now was Liam’s shit too but it didn’t have to involve the rest of the pack just yet.

“Alright, fine. Go.” Argent’s voice was serious and in a way that gave Liam confidence. Argent trusted him to do this- whatever the hell it was he was doing- he had faith in him.

Instead of going through the door Liam opened one of the pizza boxes and grabbed a slice. Argent snorted and rolled his eyes then carried the other two into the kitchen. The moment his back was turned Liam grabbed another piece then Scott’s motorcycle helmet and keys and slipped out the door. Argent’s trust only went so far and Liam was pretty sure the entire pack, Argent and Melissa included, would hunt him down if they knew he was taking Scott’s bike. Stuffing the pizza slices in his pocket he crushed the helmet over his hair, he knew they would be squashed and gross but it would take over twelve hours to get to Tucson, he would be glad of it later. Sitting astride the bike he checked the route, memorising roads and routes then he fired the vehicle to life and shot down the road before Argent had a chance to come after him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I have FINALLY worked my way round to uploading this. It is my first published fic so please be kind.  
> I'm sorry if the chapter is kinda boring it's just building up and setting the scene before the story really gets going. It was a lot longer than I had thought it would be and I really hope you guys like it
> 
>  
> 
> SPOILERS:  
> For those of you who came down here for the spoiler, it's Natalie Martin (Lydia's mom) that has cancer. There is very little description of her at all, most of the description is of the reactions of Lydia and the pack members.


	2. Beta Problems

Maybe the motorbike wasn’t such a great idea. He had stopped to fill the tank twice already and he was shocked when his card hadn’t been rejected. The bike was a lot harder to control on the highway than it was on the roads of Beacon Hills. He had also figured it would get him there so much faster than a car but in reality, he was too scared to go faster than the limit- hell he was scared to even reach the limit. Not that he actually even knew how to ride one properly. He didn’t have a license, he and Scott had been bored over the summer so Scott had taught him to ride, he thought he had gotten pretty good at it but six hours into the most ridiculous wild goose chase he could think of, Liam was regretting everything that had allowed his mind to think this was a good idea. It could be a trap, ok that was unlikely, Theo was an asshole but he did seem to be above murdering them all now. It could be a ploy to get into the pack again but then-

“Argh, Liam.” He grumbled at himself. The same thoughts had been going around and around his head for hours, more than once he had pissed himself off so much he could feel claws poking into the rubber of the handle bars. This time he had even pulled over to give himself a minute to breath and calm down. He was sure if the world knew about the supernatural there would be some kind of law against wolfing and driving. Maybe he should mention it to Stilinski.

The cold squashed pizza had honestly been a Godsend less than an hour ago but it hadn’t filled him up and the cold of the early hours of the morning was biting into him. Climbing back on the bike, Liam cursed Theo for the thousandth time that night and sped down the highway.

 

It had taken another six hours to get close to Tucson. He sent a swift message to his mom explaining that he would be staying with Mason for a few days for studying and then spent an age trying to connect his phone to someone’s WIFI long enough to transfer some more money into his account from his savings. He was exhausted, cold, annoyed and he ached like hell from sitting on the bike for so long. Finally, in the early morning light he allowed himself to pull in at a diner and gratefully turned off the engine. The bike seemed to sigh with relief when he did and irritably he thought he agreed with it, yanking off the helmet and trudging inside. He made a beeline for the washroom before anything else, peeing on the side of the highway was not fun. He also tried, in vain, to make something of the state of him, his hair was all over the place, he had bags under his eyes and he could smell himself the second he took the helmet off. 

Liam ordered a coffee and sat in the booth looking out of the window, he could feel his eyes drooping and he considered how bad it would be to nap before continuing. The coffee did give him an energy burst though, when he had finished it he ordered a second one to go and wandered across the parking lot to an off-license. He didn’t bother buying much, just some body spray and mouth wash, beyond that he didn’t really care, just wanted to sleep.

Leaning against the bike and finishing the second coffee he pulled out his phone, the battery was dangerously low even after switching it off for most of the night. He checked the rest of the route, just over another hour. He could do that without sleep, all the same he grimaced as he raised the coffee to his lips then noticed the message icon. He knew who it would be.

 _What the fuck have you done with my bike?!_ Liam knew Scott wasn’t truly mad at him for leaving, perhaps he had faith in him too. Or maybe he was too concerned about his bike to care. 

Liam snapped a picture of the bike with mountains in the background and sent it back adding, _She’s fine, we’re having a road trip._ Then he turned his phone off, partly to save the battery and partly to block whatever Scott was going to send next for a couple of hours. He drained the last of his drink and shoved the helmet over his face again.

The midday sun was high and hot when Liam finally pulled to a stop at the warehouse. He yanked off the helmet but remained straddling the bike staring at the building in front of him. It was huge, much bigger than the few he was used to in Beacon Hills and the area surrounding it was eerily quiet, no birds, no cars. No sounds at all. Not even any heartbeats. So much for Theo being here for a couple of days. 

Liam considered for a minute but then sighed, his curiosity piqued and he clambered off the bike, giving his legs a shake to try and bring some normal feeling back into them as he trudged toward the building.

 

The emptiness seemed to press in around him like smoke. It unnerved him to say the least but he forced himself to hunt through the abandoned building looking for anything that looked like it had been disturbed within the last week.

The whole place was coated in a thick layer of dust, each footstep echoed and there was nothing to take up the space of each room, only one machine had been abandoned, the rest he assumed had been cleared out or stolen. There was a smaller room behind the one with the machine in it that had some old moth eaten blankets huddled in a corner, apparently even squatters had decided this place wasn’t good enough. But Liam eyed the pile thinking about how good it would be to take a nap on there when a familiar scent drifted past his nose. 

He followed Theo’s scent into a room quite far back, if it wasn’t for the scent he probably wouldn’t have even bothered checking. The room was darker than the rest of the building and the air was thicker, as though even the warehouse itself had forgotten it was there. A small pile of blankets in the corner was freshly disturbed and the familiar chimera smell clung to them, confirming Liam’s suspicions. 

It was Theo’s own fault, whatever shitstorm he had stirred up this time. Liam grumbled to himself and flopped down on the blankets, turning his nose toward the doorway to try and escape from the strong scent he knew all too well. Even if he weren’t furious at Theo, he still didn’t think he could ever manage to sleep with his stench surrounding him. And yet he couldn’t bring himself to move to another part of the building. Shifting to get comfortable, Liam stared at the broken ceiling above him, suddenly wondering why he was so mad at the chimera. On the journey here he had been filled with trepidation for whatever would await him, but this annoyance and aggression was new, his blood had been curdling with it since spotting the nest on the floor that was obviously Theo’s ‘home’. Liam huffed and rolled on to his other side, trying and failing to get comfy. Nevertheless, he closed his eyes and allowed the bone deep exhaustion to pull him from his thoughts and cloud him with sleep. 

 

* * *

 

It was dark when Liam awoke and his limbs twinged in protest as soon as he moved. It took less than a second for his eyes to adjust and remind himself that he was not waking up in his own familiar bed. He was waking up to a different familiarity. _Theo._ Liam stood slightly hurriedly when the smell hit him and his head fuzzed making him sway, the memories from the previous night coming to him. The phone call from Theo asking for help, the dumbass decision to come here alone to find him, the lack of finding him and the curling up to sleep instead. Theo might be a whole lot of things that were skirting around the bridge between chaotic evil and chaotic neutral, a million miles from being pack - but he had still asked for help and Liam had come all the way here just to sleep.

 _Worst friend ever._ He chastised himself as he rubbed a hand across his face and made his way back out through the warehouse. _Are we even friends? Probably not,_ he thought to himself. But then would he come out here for just anybody? Liam rolled his eyes when he realised just how like Scott he actually was, yes, he would come out here for just about anybody. But why would he come out here for an evil murderous supernatural dickhead? _Because nobody else would._ And he still felt a sense of responsibility for him somehow. Outside he dug around in the bike seat for the mouthwash, desperate to wash out the feel of dust that he swore had magnetised to his teeth. Spitting it out he inhaled the minty odour that for a moment covered up the stench of his own clothes that smelled of both sweaty Liam and stale Theo. Gagging, he buried the bottle again and straddled the bike, reaching for the helmet when he paused and realised he had no idea where he was going. His guilt at failing to find Theo earlier dispersed slightly, it hadn’t been an easy job anyway had it? He’d come to the address, it wasn’t his fault Theo wasn’t here. There was no smell of Theo or his truck that Liam could follow so he would have to try a different approach. 

He took a moment to close his eyes and focus on the sounds and smells around him, something Scott had taught him to do shortly after Liam had tried to kill him and Theo had been sent to the underworld. There were no birds, a few scufflings from the forest beside him, a road not too far where engines and a soft horn blared. Heat and desert dusk tickled his nose and he ran his tongue around his mouth feeling a metallic taste, farther than that his caught the very faint smell of burning, burning metal and plastic. 

Liam’s eyes snapped open. Burning plastic was either kids too stupid to understand toxicity or it was something dangerous that hadn’t been controlled. He pulled the helmet on and blinked his eyes to focus them. Following the sounds and smells of an explosion seemed like as good a place as any to start looking for Theo.

 

Liam didn’t bother pushing the visor up on his helmet as he slowed to a stop and surveyed the scene in front of him. Black smoke was billowing around as far as he could see, like a fence trying to keep the chaos enclosed. Amber flames licked around the car wreckages and amongst stray bits and pieces of debris that once had innocently added to someone’s life. Here, charred and discarded like this, they radiated a heavy note of danger and something else, something dark and unnerving that Liam had smelt too many times before. Dragging his eyes to the left he saw it. So at home with the burning wreckages he almost missed them. A pair of legs stuck out from beneath a car, the denim that remained had burned deep into the skin, skin that no longer resembled skin. It was crackled and burned and distantly inanimate. Blending into the ruins as though life had only ever been a passing visitor and the body had found its place here to become an accessory to disaster. 

After picking his way through the aftermath Liam revved the engine and sped off again, the scene was fresh and it wouldn’t be long before someone alerted authorities. The desert stretched out as far as he could see and long fingers of disorder stretched out from the fire as though trying to lure it it’s victims. A concrete bridge supporting a road crossed the sand not so far away and Liam turned the wheel toward it. 

The stench of burnt metal lingered there too but at least there were no flames. Clearly whatever had happened had struck and left this place first. He looked around the scene, pulling his helmet off once he was under the bridge. There was the remains of two cars, they both still radiated heat but nothing more. Apparently the car chase had concluded at the first site Liam had found, these two hadn’t made it there. 

Liam’s eyes locked on a metal structure tucked under one of the concrete supports holding up the bridge. The four corners were still standing although one was bent beyond repair. Glass walls connected each corner, all but one pane blown out, glass pieces littering the floor. The device inside looked intact, save a little worse for wear. Liam stared at it. As if in a trance he pulled out his phone and tapped on the number he had made certain to save before leaving Scott’s. After a second the payphone jumped to life, a shrill ring that echoed across the desert. Liam just stood and watched the phone ring for a minute before walking into the box. He didn’t hang up, just let the plastic ring out as he looked around the tiny area. He wasn’t sure what he was looking for exactly but he couldn’t stop himself. And then, there it was, one tiny red halfmoon shape dug into the side of the dial pad, Liam craned his neck, sure enough there were four little marks of the same shape on the other side, each one red. The corner of Liam’s mouth twitched, he could recall the exact moment Theo would have flicked out his claws to skewer the corner of the housing. _Just shut your stupid mouth and listen_. Theo’s voice was loud in Liam’s head, the chimera’s annoyance making Liam smirk even if it was a day previously. But now he had to find the asshole. He flicked out his own claws and fitted them perfectly into Theo’s anger prints, grimacing at the stale blood decorating the marks. His lip curled involuntarily as he lifted his claws to his nose, not that he couldn’t smell them from arm’s length but the immediate proximity helped lodge the scent in his memory. It wasn’t Theo’s blood, it was completely human but it also wasn’t completely foreign… 

Liam darted out of the phone box and back to the first site, still covered with flames. He was right, the blood smell was stronger here. He skimmed the scene, taking nothing in but turning his body in every direction until he found the right one, eyes flashing as if in conformation. Scott’s bike lay forgotten by the phone box as Liam set off into the desert leaving dust in his wake.

 

Scott had always been a good leader. If Liam had been following anyone else he may well have fallen. His alpha’s certainty and humanity shone like a beacon and made sure none of them ever faltered. An alpha by strength of character, a true alpha, a myth that supposedly would arise every hundred years. Every hundred years seemed a bit convenient to Liam, very poetic. He suspected whoever came up with that really didn’t have the first clue about true alphas. Much like the rest of them. But Scott had always been firm with what he knew and believed. No one dies. No one gets hurt if it can be helped. Avoid wars, avoid the fights. All the sensible laws everyone with supernatural potential should live by. And that was great. It was. Unless you had IED.

Liam could hear the fight before he smelt it. The air was thick with blood and smoke. Ordinarily, Liam would hang back from a scene like this. His intermittent explosive disorder liked to prey on his wolf’s adrenalin and when his alpha wasn’t around, his grasp on control was weak. But this was different, he thought as he skirted around the battlefield, fighting his impulse to dash headlong into the violent and slash anything that came within reach. Liam didn’t know if it was because Theo had asked for help, or because these people were made of the same type of evil as Gerard, or even simply because he hadn’t fought in so long and his skin crawled for it, but whatever the reason his blood ran thick with anger, pumping against barriers that were stronger than ever. His control held fast.

A thoroughly canine roar birthed from human vocal folds and heightened through vibrations around fangs touched his skin. A slow grin spread across Liam’s features. 

Theo’s hair was longer, sweat covered strands falling into his eyes as he threw his shoulders back to avoid the butt of a gun aimed at his nose. His attacker didn’t even have a chance to finish swinging his gun through the air before Theo raised his leg and sent him sprawling backwards across the sand. He turned to duck an attack from behind, this time gunfire echoed from the distant mountaintops and the air became thick with the smell. A panicked exhale of air sounded from Theo’s lips and he blinked to clear his eyes from the powder disrupted air inches from his ear. A back fist saw the second attacker on the floor out cold and Theo swung a clawed first toward the figure that had appeared on his left.

Liam jerked back, hands up at Theo, whose whole body jolted with shock and the force of holding back his punch at the last second. Surprise plastered on his face. Before either of them had time to say anything, Liam ducked under Theo’s arm and tackled another soldier. Adrenalin flooded Liam’s body and he whipped around to find another soldier, Theo ignored him while disarming a man behind him. When he had a second to survey the scene in front of him he growled. “What are you doing here, Dunbar?”

A sharp punch caught Liam’s nose and he wiped blood on the back of his hand, grinning at the anger flaring up inside him and then he let his fangs and claws emerge with golden eyes. It had been a long time since he had had a real fight and he could feel the wolf inside him racing with excitement.

“Sightseeing, obviously.” His claws flew across skin, the pads of his fingertips becoming wet with blood. Liam paused, usually the fresh blood on his skin would excite him and his wolf and he would have to fight to stay in control. That wasn’t happening right now. He was perfectly fine. “What the hell are _you_ doing here?” He asked aloud, steering his thoughts away from the strange sense of calm he felt.

Theo opened his mouth to respond but a gun exploded behind him, blood hitting Liam in the face. Theo cried out and hunched over the bleeding hole in his stomach. His claws flew out and sliced through the man’s throat, not enough to kill him but enough to leave him on the ground clutching his neck. Liam whirled and successfully knocked out one soldier who had chosen this moment to rush in and try and attack. He stood by the chimera waiting for his skin to knit back together. After a moment Theo grunted and raised his head, eyes glowing in a combination of anger and pain. The soldier who had shot him was beginning to get to his feet. Liam crouched slightly, snarling at him, claws itching to sink into flesh. Theo saw this and raised an eyebrow at him. Liam didn’t wait a second before throwing himself over Theo’s back, rolling his body and slamming into the soldier. He grinned when he heard bones breaking. He turned back to Theo who was smirking at him.

“Looks like we’re brothers in arms again after all.”

“Shut up.” But Liam was grinning when he said it. He hadn’t seen or heard from Theo in six months yet it took less than two minutes for them to fall back into what they knew. The snarky comments and quips they threw at each other in between the fighting. The way they danced around each other as though they had fought side by side their entire lives. Liam didn’t bother giving much thought to it, he just allowed himself that natural fluidity, granted that ease for himself.

The fight didn’t last very long. Unconscious men littered the floor and the others had run. There had only been one casualty and he had already been dead when Liam had come onto to scene, the body had a broken neck and Liam wasn’t going to ask if it had been accidental or not.

The two of them stood panting side by side, looking at the battlefield around them. Liam was still reeling from excitement and grinning, he awkwardly raised his hand to Theo’s. Theo looked at him for a minute before snorting and bashing his fist against Liam’s. They began picking their way back across the desert.

“So urm,” Liam wasn’t sure how to start the conversation. There were so many things he wanted to ask Theo. _Where have you been? Why six months? Who were those people you were fighting? Have you been living in that warehouse this whole time? Why did you even leave in the first place? Did I interrupt your plans? Should I have sent Scott instead?_ “Where is your truck?” He settled on instead. 

Theo looked at him, “Don’t fancy hiking all the way back to Beacon Hills?”

“I don’t care. I just didn’t see it out here when I was looking for you.”

“Yeah, it’s back…” he gestured vaguely then paused, “How did you get here? Don’t tell me your parents actually decided to buy Anger Pup a car.”

Liam didn’t look at him as he flipped him off at the casual insult, hearing Theo snort. “No. But I’m saving. Almost have enough to buy a crappy Stiles jeep.” He said proudly.

Theo snorted. “So, what, you stole a car and drove it here illegally?” Liam narrowed his eyes at the impressed note in Theo’s voice.

“No. I did not steal a car.” He hesitated, then quieter he added, “I stole a bike.”

“You have a bike license?” 

He could hear the grin and clamped his mouth shut. Theo let out a low whistle. “I’m actually impressed, Dunbar. Who’d you steal it from?”

Liam said nothing.

“Liam.” 

Still Liam kept his mouth closed, seriously regretting the decision to come to the desert, he should have the left the asshole to stew in his own shit.

“Liam, come on-”

“Scott, okay? I stole Scott’s bike.”

They were both quiet for a minute before Theo burst out laughing. “You are in so much trouble.”

“Yes, I know, thank you.” Liam remarked dryly, trudging forward.

“Oh it’s not that bad.” Theo tried, in vain, to keep the laughter from his voice. “He’s only going to beat the living shit out of you and never trust you again and-“

“Seriously, were you born this much of an asshole?”

Theo’s truck was parked a small distance from the first wreckage Liam had found. Which was a good thing, because flashing lights told them it wouldn’t be long before the authorities found the rest of the battlefield. “After I called you, I realised I was being followed which I had suspected but they were a lot closer than I thought so I gave up on getting back to the warehouse and decided to draw them out into the open and fight them head on.”

“That worked out well for you, I see.” Liam smirked across at him from the passenger seat.

“It was going fine-“

“Dude, you got shot!”

“That was your fault for distracting me!”

“Seriously? You’re blaming me for that? Have you healed yet by the way?”

“Yes.” Theo growled. The clipped tone and the strained position he sat in in front of the wheel said otherwise but Liam didn’t push it.

“You need to go to the payphone.” 

“The payphone? Why?”

“Cause that’s where I left the bike.”

 

* * *

 

The pack was clustered around Lydia’s kitchen. The day before, her mom had taken a bad turn and now Lydia refused to leave the house. Not that she had been able to do much more than sit beside her mother and make her smile, make her laugh, tell her all the dumb stories that she and other kids keep from their parents at high school. Nothing was going to help Natalie, and Lydia cherished the only gift they had been given. Time. 

Scott was stood closest to the stairs. His attention constantly alert for Natalie’s soft breathing as she slept. One glance at Lydia to suggest so much as a hiccup and she would be up the stairs in a flash. 

“I’m just saying, he took off without telling anyone anything. Except Argent, who’s being annoyingly cryptic.” Mason was saying exasperatedly.

“Argent said it was important to let Liam do this alone. All part of taking responsibility and learning to be an alpha.” Although Scott’s voice was full of reason he could hear his own concern for his young beta. But he trusted him. He forced himself to concentrate on how much he trusted him. Scott’s eyes closed for a moment, he really hoped he was ok.

“Do you want me to tell Peter to keep an eye out for him?” Derek looked like he would honestly rather be anywhere else but his loyalty for Scott was unfailing.

Ever since the defeat- and escape of Monroe, Peter had set up a network of small but secure bases in a number of states, where he was slowly employing people he and Derek trusted to keep a watchful eye on the supernatural goings on of the state. No one knew when Monroe would emerge again. Or how big her army would be.

“No. I’m sure it’s nothing too crazy and Liam can look after himself. We have no supernatural threat right now. This is the time when we focus on the important things.” Scott gave Lydia a kind smile.

“Stiles said give the kid a chance to screw up.” Derek voiced the absentee’s opinion into the room, causing a soft laugh from Scott.

“You’re texting him now?” Lydia looked up and smiled fondly.

Derek nodded, looking back at his phone. “Yeah, I asked him to check in with the Washington base.”

“And Kira?” Mason spoke up again, to no one in particular.

“Kira and Malia are currently in South Africa.” Scott answered. He looked like he was going to say more when his ear twitched to the sound of coughing. His eyes flicked to Lydia’s in silent message and she disappeared upstairs.

Everyone was silent for a moment, the spell broken when Mason sighed. “I wish there was something more we could do.” He twisted his face to Corey’s, running a thumb across his boyfriend’s knuckles.

“There’s nothing more I can do.” He whispered back, they all knew it was true. Corey and Deaton had made a mixture that alleviated some of the pain, and Scott took as much as he could as often as he could. But they couldn’t deny the inevitable. It had been six months since any of them had needed to wolf out for anything more than training or pissing about. Yet the lack of a supernatural threat brought home the crushing reality of how fragile human life was. Scott hadn’t voiced what they had probably all considered. Natalie wouldn’t want the bite and Lydia wouldn’t want to hear her mom say no.  
 


	3. You can't fill a void with claws

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings:  
> This chapter includes character death and reactions/responses.

It was almost midnight by the time Liam pulled his bike to a stop in front of the warehouse. Theo had dropped him off by the bike and then sped off, leaving Liam to try and remember the way back himself. It hadn’t been too much of a problem though, he had only taken one wrong turn and found the route pretty quickly. 

 

Inside, the air was thick with darkness and it gave him a disconcerting feeling. How long had Theo been staying here? And why? 

 

“So is this-?” 

 

“Did you sleep here?” Theo’s voice interrupted him the moment Liam walked into the room he had curled up in earlier. 

 

“No.” Liam snapped before he could actually think of a response. “Why would I sleep there? It looks grim.” 

 

Theo glared at him. “You tell me. It stinks of you.” 

 

“Beats the smell of you then doesn’t it.” Liam swiped up the top blanket and marched to the far wall where he dropped himself down and matched the chimera’s angry look. “How long have you been here?” 

 

“About a week.” Theo sighed, also dropping onto his own pile of blankets. 

 

“And before that?” 

 

“Around.” His tone was flat, measured. 

 

Liam narrowed his eyes. “Since when have you not trusted me?” 

 

“I’ve never trusted you, Dunbar.” 

 

“You’ve never not trusted me.” 

 

Theo stared at him for a long moment. “I swear I don’t even know what that means.” 

 

“Why did you call Scott instead of me?” Liam bit his lip. He wasn’t sure at what point his mouth had decided it was going to do the driving and leave his brain behind but from the way Theo was looking at him he should probably try and shut up around about now. 

 

“Because he’s the alpha?” Theo said slowly, and a little patronizingly. “Why would I call you?” 

 

“I dunno, maybe because Scott doesn’t like you.” Liam immediately regretted what he said. He was annoying himself with how childish he sounded. 

 

“And you do?” Theo cocked one pissed off eyebrow. 

 

Liam snorted and flopped onto his back. “Not even close.” 

 

 

They had been quiet for a long time. It was hard to tell exactly how much time had passed but Liam guessed it was around an hour. Sleep was no closer and by the sound of Theo’s breath across the room, the chimera was equally awake. Liam considered trying again, asking him about what had happened in the six months since he had disappeared. 

 

He jumped violently when high pitched music blasted from his pocket. He scrambled his hands down into his jeans, hurriedly trying to find the device and switch it off. He pulled it out and stared at the name on the screen. It was his step-dad. Liam chanced a glance across at Theo. The chimera was watching him, an irritated look on his face. “You gonna answer that thing, or just stare at it?” 

 

Liam wiggled out from under the blankets and hurried from the room. Answering as he made his way through the warehouse to the cool air outside. “Hey.” 

 

“Liam, where are you?” Dr. Geyer sounded annoyed. Figures that his little ‘I’m staying with Mason’ story hadn’t worked as well as he had hoped. 

 

“Just… out, you know…” he spluttered nervously. 

 

“Out, huh?” He could hear his step-dad’s condescending tone, “Out where?” 

 

“Out…side…” 

 

“Really, Liam?” He sighed, as if dealing with a small child, “What state are you in?” 

 

“Oh, urm, California. Definitely California.” The line was quiet although he could hear breathing. “California.” He said again, trying to make it sound more convincing. 

 

“You’re lying aren’t you?” Liam could practically see his step-dad’s eye roll. 

 

“… Yes.” 

 

He heard the chuckle and relaxed. 

 

“Ok, I know you’re old enough to take care of yourself. I’m just calling because I saw Melissa at the hospital today. She told me Natalie’s condition had deteriorated. Did you know?” 

 

Guilt surged through Liam. He should be home. With his pack, his friends, his family. “No.” He whispered. “I’ll be home soon.” 

 

“It’s ok, Liam. For the time being it’s ok, I just thought you should know.” 

 

“Yeah.” He said quickly. 

 

“Liam.” 

 

Silence. 

 

“Liam, don’t be an idiot and rush back, ok? Take some time, sleep, eat. You’ll be better to Lydia if you’re not mentally run into the ground.” 

 

Liam knew he was right and sighed loudly, knowing Dr. Geyer would understand the surrender in it. 

 

“Ok?” 

 

Liam nodded. Forgetting he was on the phone, but his step-dad understood. “Take care, Liam.” 

 

“Uh-huh. Bye.” Liam hung up and stood in the cool night air looking at the moon for a time, he could feel the pull, more so than back home but not unpleasantly so, it was the kind of burn his body felt after a hard work out, one that made the pain almost feel like a comfort. Calm and peaceful. It felt like the weight of everything was held at bay, like the night air was trying to agree with his step-dad’s words. He looked away and returned back inside. 

 

“The pack missing their beta already?” The bundle in the corner snarked at him as he came back into the room. 

 

“No. I dunno. Maybe.” Liam sat down without looking at him and pulled out his phone even though he had put it away less than a second ago. Maybe he should text someone? Scott? 

 

“You heading back there now?” 

 

“Yeah. No.” His mouth decided both answers were better than none, and he put his phone away again. _Take some time, sleep, eat._ There was nothing he could do now and he did actually want to be of some support to his friends so yeah, maybe he should think about his own head a little. 

 

Theo rolled his eyes at Liam’s apparent lack of remembering how to speak in full sentences. “Dumbass.” This made Liam look across the room and finally meet Theo’s eyes. The chimera looked bored and unimpressed, his usual expression when the subject of conversation was anything other than himself. This arrogant asshole had triggered a little adventure in the young beta he hadn’t known existed. Back in the world of Beacon Hills, anxiety choked Liam, there was always a threat, there was always someone to worry about, always a role to live up to. And yesterday, all that had disappeared. There was only an open road ahead of him. Even here and now, sitting across from a former murderous and evil monster Liam felt more at ease than he had in a long time. Theo had no expectations of Liam, there was no role he had to play, no duty, no judgement if he didn’t match up to his responsibility. If Liam’s IED played up Theo didn’t look at him as though he were a different person like his parents did, he didn’t tell him to cage and control it like the pack did, Hell Theo would enjoy going a round or two of beating the crap out of each other until Liam was over it. These thoughts made their way around Liam’s head as he looked at Theo, documenting the lines around his face, the darkness beneath his eyes. Theo hadn’t slept properly in days. 

 

“No.” Liam said decisively. 

 

“O..kay…” Theo looked like he was going to say more but Liam interrupted him. 

 

“Are you coming back?” 

 

Theo hesitated as if the question had caught him off guard. Then he shrugged. “Yeah. Got nothing better to do and I should really speak to Scott.” 

 

Liam narrowed his eyes at this but didn’t speak again. Just sat against the wall, his arms draped on his knees thinking that when school was over he might just take Scott’s bike again and disappear on his own little personal road trip for a while. He still didn’t know why Theo had left but he couldn’t blame him for staying away. Not when- 

 

“It’s kinda hard to sleep sitting up, idiot. And stop thinking, I can hear it.” The older teen grumbled. 

 

“You sleep, I’m gonna stay awake for a bit.” 

 

“Why?” 

 

Liam shrugged. “Not tired, I napped earlier.” 

 

“I fucking knew you slept on here you little shit.” 

 

Liam couldn’t help the grin from spreading across his face. He’d forgotten how much he enjoyed annoying the chimera. 

 

 

*** 

 

It was a cold night, the air crisp, the moon high and bright in the sky. Nestled below a forest-topped cliff face, the town of Beacon Hills looked peaceful and almost welcoming, an air of stillness and slumber radiating from the warm patches of lights that were the more densely populated suburbs. There was no wind. No movement in the preserve, except for the controlled pad of running feet. Human feet. The body dressed in black whipped through the foliage so fast any animal watching would have missed it. That is, if there had been any. Everything with a pulse was hidden safely away tonight as if knowing that a hunter was out on the prowl tonight. But this hunt was different. This prowl was a chase. 

 

 

The door to the warehouse loft slide open and Derek strolled inside, dropping his balled up jacket on a chair. It fell to the floor a moment later and he looked at it harshly before moving toward the kitchen to do nothing more than lean heavily against the sink, muscles tensed and angry. 

 

Peter ignored him for all over three minutes before dropping the tablet down on table and turning to his nephew. “What happened?” Although he tried to sound bored he couldn’t keep the note of excitement out of his voice that he would literally sell his soul for it to be bad news so he could go out and kill something. 

 

“Remember how I said there was a person snooping around the edge of town?” Although Derek’s voice was calm, the carefully controlled fury hummed like a creature trying to be let loose. “Well, I was right but it’s not so much person as people.” 

 

“Excellent.” Peter stood up and stretched. “Let’s kill them.” 

 

“Can’t do that.” 

 

“Why?” 

 

“They’re human.” The tone Derek used was loaded as though the state of their humanity was a major annoyance to him. “Also they don’t seem to be doing anything. Just observing.” 

 

“… So?” He knew Peter was feigning ignorance, and it lifted a small part of his anger. 

 

“I chased them to the town lines… Check in with the other bases and see if there’s anything similar going on.” 

 

“I still think we should just kill them.” Peter groaned, reaching for the tablet again. 

 

“No.” 

 

“Why?” 

 

“We go by Scott’s rules.” He said patiently. 

 

“I don’t.” 

 

“Yes, you do.” But Derek’s eyes had calmed. He wasn’t sure how his trigger-happy and psychotic uncle managed to calm him when logic said it would do otherwise but he was glad he was around- in an annoying, irritating kind of way. 

 

“So what would your non-murderous approach be?” 

 

Derek moved to pick up his jacket again. “We need to talk to Scott.” 

 

“Now?” Something about the way Peter spoke made Derek turn around, questioning what he didn’t know. 

 

“What happened?” 

 

“He called while you were out. It’s Lydia.” 

 

Derek eye’s widened with realisation. “Her mom.” 

 

Peter nodded. 

 

“Why are you still here? Why aren’t you with them?” 

 

“Urm… because I don’t care?” 

 

Derek rolled his eyes. “Come on.” He snarled. 

 

***

 

 

“Lydia? Lydia!” 

 

Stiles threw the front door open, glancing round to try and find the green eyed redhead. She sat on the couch. Her fingers shook slightly in her lap as though trying and failing to hold on to something. Scott sat on one side of her, an arm around her shoulders. Mason sat on the other side of her, looking like he wanted to say something but not knowing what. Corey sat beside Mason looking equally lost. Stiles went to his knees in front of her and took her face in his hands before pulling her to him. She wrapped her arms around him and sobbed. 

 

He didn’t have anything to say. There was nothing anyone could possibly say. Sometimes there was no solution. Sometimes the only comfort was to have someone tell you that life sucked. Scott had called him in the early hours of the morning and Stiles had come as fast as he could. They had all known Natalie didn’t have long left but he was pretty sure that no one had expected it to be this soon. 

 

Scott put a hand on Lydia’s arm still on Stiles’ shoulder as he got up and moved to the kitchen. He stood there for a minute. Now Lydia was in the safe embrace of Stiles where she could cry and shake, Scott stopped trying to hold his own tears back. They all loved Natalie and her loss was like a giant shadow clouding the house and pressing in on them. He sniffed loudly. Natural death like this was something they had all seemed to forget about. In a world where every day was a fight where someone could be shot or stabbed, every thought was a plan of how not to do that. How to not die today because you could do that. If you were good enough you could avoid dying today. Dying by natural causes, an impending termination that couldn’t be altered by a better battle tactic or by faster reflexes was something they had all forgotten. And it made it so much harder. 

 

Scott took a breath and rubbed his face. He needed to be strong for his pack, for Lydia. There were things that needed doing, needed planning. Things he couldn’t let Lydia do alone. The body had been taken less than an hour ago and there were other people that needed to know. 

 

His fingers paused when he pulled out his phone. The small piece of his heart that had cracked at the loss of someone they all loved dearly was calling for him to pull everyone he loved close enough to touch, close enough to keep safe. Blinking hard, he looked out of the window. He hoped wherever he was Liam was safe. Then he grimaced at himself, of course Liam was safe he was the strongest beta any of them had ever known. He just hoped Liam wasn’t doing anything stupid. 

 

*** 

 

Liam was doing something monumentally stupid. 

 

Attempting to wake a murderous, evil chimera wasn’t his best plan but Theo was currently in the sleep of the dead. It had taken him well over two hours to fall asleep but apparently when he was finally convinced Liam was actually staying awake he had allowed himself to sleep. And when the sun had risen with the sound of birds and Theo still didn’t stir Liam had decided it was best to leave Theo to rise in his own time so he had taken the bike for a ride, finding a shop not too far along the highway he bought them some snacks and a bunch of sugar loaded drinks for the journey home. He hadn’t rushed back to the warehouse either. A peaceful part of him was enjoying itself and he had stopped to take some pictures of mountains. Not to send to Scott as proof the bike was ok or anything more, just simply for himself to enjoy. 

 

Theo had been sleeping for almost thirteen hours when Liam returned to the warehouse. He was sleeping soundly, sprawled across the blankets in a way that would have been comical to Liam if he wasn’t trying to muster up the courage to bring the chimera back into wakefulness. He glanced at his phone again, 17:26, he really had to wake him. 

 

“Theo.” Liam shook Theo’s shoulder gently. A soft growl rumbled from the sleeping body, merged with a snore that made Liam grin, wishing more than anything he had been able to record that noise. “Theo.” He shook his shoulder harder, raising his voice slightly. 

 

The first thing Liam registered was the spike in Theo’s heartbeat before the chimera’s eyes flew open. In a second Liam was on his back, Theo’s forearm pressing against his throat and his knee digging into his stomach, body pressing down on him. 

 

“Um… Ow.” Liam said pointedly. 

 

Theo’s eyes focused and Liam could pinpoint the exact moment recognition dawned. Theo looked at him, his lip curling as if disgusted at seeing Liam pinned below him. Letting out an annoyed breath through his nose he rolled off him. 

 

“You always wake up like that?” Liam rubbed a hand to his larynx although the ache had already disappeared. 

 

“When I’m in asshole company, yeah.” The older teen huffed, getting to his feet and walking out of the room with hunched shoulders. 

 

“Jerk.” Liam muttered before standing up and following him. 

 

 

 

“So, do you want to meet part way at a gas station?” The heat of the day was already fading with the approaching evening. They stood beside Theo’s truck, Scott’s helmet in Liam’s hand. “Cause, like, I need ga-” 

 

In one fluid motion Theo leaned down and lifted the bike with both hands, muscles straining through his hoody. The truck jolted with the extra weight as Theo placed the two wheeled vehicle into the back of his truck. 

 

“Or we could just do that. That works too.” 

 

“Hurry up. If I have to put up with your annoying ass the whole way I’d prefer to get it 

started and finished as soon as possible. 

 

 

*** 

 

 

“I’m bored.” 

 

“Liam, I will shove you out of the car.” 

 

Liam puffed out his cheeks and sank lower in the car seat. He fiddled with the leather bands around his wrist, winding them into a tangled mess. That served to entertain him to for all of ten seconds. He glanced at Theo. The chimera was staring intently at the road. Liam tried to watch the road, to concentrate on the concrete rushing towards them. He blew out the air in his cheeks in a long high pitched squeak, he puffed out his cheeks more and turned it into a rhythm of squeaks. He then let out a series of puffs, quiet ones and louder ones. After a moment he turned the noises into something he quite thought resembled beat boxing. Impressed at his own creativity he started nodding his head along to it, making the noises more pronounced. He was about to add some vocal sounds before he noticed Theo looking at him. The older teen was glaring at him in a way that made Liam question if Theo was really pulling this whole stunt just to get Liam alone so he could gruesomely and slowly kill him in a variety of elaborate and creative ways. 

 

Staring at the chimera, Liam slowly let out the rest of the air from his lips and closed his mouth silently. 

 

Liam turned his head back to the road, controlling his breathing to sound as non-existent as possible. His fingernails suddenly became very interesting- for all of five seconds. He looked over to Theo again once, twice. 

 

“Liam! I swear to God, I am not above murdering you on the side of a highway!” 

 

“Seriously, we’ve been going for like four hours, aren’t you bored? Don’t you even need to pee?” 

 

“We’ve pulled over twice already. How did you even manage to get to Tucson alone without annoying yourself to death?” 

 

Liam pursed his lips thinking of a good comeback. In the end he just stuck his finger up in the chimera’s direction. Then Liam’s eyes fell on the radio, he made a reach for it only to pause, hand still outstretched when a loud growl rumbled through the cabin. Liam froze for a second, considering, then darted forward anyway and flicked it on. 

 

“Liam, for fu-“ 

 

Liam twisted the dial and music blasted out of the speakers, painfully loud for their heightened senses but it drowned out Theo so the beta didn’t really care. He flicked through the stations, finally finding a song he liked. 

 

Theo had settled one elbow against the window of the cabin, resting the side of his face on his fist. Seemingly resigned to listening to the world’s most annoying teenager. Still, he turned the volume down to a manageable level. 

 

“Dude, do you ever actually enjoy anything that isn’t killing people?” Liam sighed in exasperation. The small high the familiar song gave him was killed off by the scent of irritation wafting from the driver’s seat. 

 

“Nope.” Theo’s lips pursed making a loud pop sound at the end of the word. 

 

“Come on, you must have a favourite band you can’t resist headbanging to.” 

 

The chimera’s voice was weary when he answered. “Believe it or not Liam, the dread doctors didn’t exactly play the charts to me every week.” 

 

Liam rolled his eyes. “Shut up. I know there’s music you like.” 

 

Theo ignored him and rolled down his window, twisting his face out into the cool air as if it could offer him some sanity. 

 

A different song started playing and Liam raised his eyebrows in question and Theo’s flickered to his in irritation. He switched to another channel, no response. Another. And another. At the fifth song Theo glanced at the radio and then looked to the sky briefly before back at the road. It was the least murderous he had looked since turning the radio on. 

 

“Really? AC/DC, huh?” Liam smirked and turned the music up. 

 

After a few minutes Theo finally relented and his lips tugged up at the corners. 

 

 

 

The moon was high and despite the small stature, it cast a gentle and persistent light on the open road as the truck devoured the miles. Liam had managed to sleep for a couple of hours but the cabin’s comfort level didn’t exactly allow him much room for shifting about. He was also wary of the driver. His threat about murdering Liam was probably a joke -probably. But he still didn’t feel comfortable stretching out into Theo’s space so he slouched back against the passenger door, one leg curled up in front of him on the seat, the other lounging down on the floor of the cabin. His hands fell loosely on his lap, he looked at them, picking at his leather bands. They had been a gift from Hayden and although Mason said that he should have binned them when he knew he was finally over her, Liam did actually like the bands. What was the protocol then? Did you throw them away just because of who bought them? Cause that seemed petty, but then was it right to keep them even though he no longer looked at them with longing as when he had used to pine for his ex-girlfriend, they were just an accessory that looked good against his skin. 

 

“You think we’ll get there before sun up?” Liam noticed Theo watching as he played with the bands and felt the need to voice his boredom again. 

 

“Depends how much you keep making me stop.” 

 

“I’m hungry.” 

 

“I’m going to kill you.” 

 

Liam was saved from thinking up a comeback by his phone jumping to life. He scrambled for it, pulling on the wire that was plugged into Theo’s radio to charge his cell. 

 

Theo watched this from the corner of his eyes but said nothing. 

 

“Hello?” Liam swiped before reading who the call was from. 

 

“Liam, you need to come back.” It was Scott. And the tone in his voice made Liam's mind halt all its current workings. 

 

“What’s happened?” Liam met Theo’s eyes, the chimera having heard the urgency too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my awesome betas for proofreading and coming up with the chapter name. You're the best.


	4. Loss

Liam threw open his front door. 

“Dad!”

He charged into the kitchen, making a swift round of the lower floor. _“Dad!”_

Dr. Geyer appeared at the top of the stairs. He rushed down to his step-son. “Liam.” He grabbed his arms, feeling the shaking in them. “Liam, I’m sorry-“

“You said!” He yelled, voice rising as he tried to form words through his anger. “You said she’d be ok.”

“I know, son. It was a surprise to ev-“

“I should have been here! They needed me. Lydia-“

“Liam. It’s ok-“

“No. It’s not.” But his shouts were gradually merging into sobs. Huge choked sounds that shook his whole body as his step-father pulled him to him. Hugging him tight. 

Theo was sitting in the truck and Liam could feel his eyes on his back but even if this had bothered him, he was unable to feel anything right now aside from the strong arms around him. He had asked Theo to drive him here first, the bike was still in the back of the truck. Scott had phoned him a few hours ago and although Liam knew he should rush to Lydia immediately, a piece inside of him was broken by the combination of Natalie’s loss, guilt at not being there, fury at his dad for telling him it was ok, and anger at Theo just because. That piece had first yelled at Theo and then yelled at Dr. Geyer, but Liam knew his anger well enough to know that it was just an outlet, what he needed more than anything was his dad. Like a small child he buried himself in his shoulder, soaking his dad’s shirt with his tears and for a second Natalie hadn’t died, Liam hadn’t been away and the rest of the world stopped existing as only it can when your parents hug it away. 

Dr. Geyer pulled away and nodded toward the truck. “I think your friend is getting impatient.” Liam turned to see Theo rubbing a hand across his face and heaving a dramatic sigh. But Liam knew it wasn’t impatience, it was anticipation at seeing the pack again, especially now. “You didn’t want to invite him inside?”

 _No._ “I don’t think anyone is in the mood for introductions today, Dad.” Liam smoothed over his initial panic at the idea of letting Theo into his home.

His step-father nodded sagely. “Of course. You should go.”

Liam sniffed. “Love you.” He mumbled, turning around.

“You too, son. If you need us, it’s just a phone call.”

Liam nodded and hurried back to the truck. Theo didn’t say anything about the tear tracks on the beta’s face. Maybe he was still mad at Liam’s outburst. Liam didn’t really care right now. He needed to pull himself together and be there for his pack. And somehow explain why Theo was with him. 

“Where to now?” For once the sound of Theo’s voice didn’t make Liam’s teeth grind, it was soft and gentle in a way that was foreign for the beta. The last time he had spoken to him in such a way Theo had been trying to kill everyone. 

“Mason said they’re at the animal clinic.”

“The animal clinic, why?”

“Urm,” Liam scrolled up on the messages on his cell. “Apparently that’s the only place where Lydia can manage not to scream.”

 

The blue pick-up truck pulled slowly to a stop in front of the animal clinic, engine rumbling into silence. They both sat there for a moment, unsure of what to do next. Liam opened his mouth as if to say something but the front door opened and Corey walked out. He stopped when his eyes fell on Theo, moving to Liam in question.

Liam hopped out and walked up to his friend. “How’s Lydia?”

Corey frowned briefly at the stupid question, his eyes tracked Theo who was slowly getting out of the driver’s side before answering. “She’s pretty bad. It’s like her head is exploding, she keeps screaming. Deaton thinks it’s the defences he built into the building here that’s helping her keep a hold on it.” Theo came to stand by them, a small distance from them both. “Liam, what-“

Liam pushed past him to go inside. “I need to see Lydia.”

Lydia sat on the floor against the wall, her legs folded and her eyes dry. Her face was blank and exhausted, as if she had cried every tear out of her. Stiles sat beside her, their shoulders touching but he said nothing. Mason sat on the operating table nearby, Corey’s butt imprint beside him. Scott was standing against the opposite wall arms folded, deep in conversation with Deaton. Derek and Peter also stood with them but they weren’t saying anything, their eyes fell to Theo first. If it were possible the silence in the room intensified, becoming thick and tense.

Stiles was the first to jump to his feet. “What the hell is he doing here?!” Derek said nothing but moved to stand beside Stiles, arms folded.

Lydia looked at Theo silently and although Mason and Scott moved forward too, it was Lydia who Theo’s eyes fell on. Her head was leaning back against the wall as though there was no fight left in her.

“I’m sorry about Natalie.” Theo said quietly, Liam looked at him in surprise. If Theo’s own expression was anything to go by he hadn’t expected to say that either.

“Are you kidding me!” Stiles started forward, covering up the soft noise Lydia made. Derek put a hand on his shoulder and pulled him back. “You think you can just come here as though you’re pack and-“

“Stiles!” Scott’s voice was loud and betrayed his alpha authority in the single letter. Huffing Stiles turned to his best friend expectantly. His eyebrow raised in a _you better have a good reason for interrupting me_. “We’re not doing this here.” Scott said simply. Stiles’ eyes widened a fraction and he bowed his head.

Liam took this moment to go to Lydia, he crouched down and hugged her tight. “I’m sorry.” He whispered. “I’m so sorry.” He apologized for her mom, for not being there, for starting a fight between Stiles and Theo, and for so much he couldn’t say. 

Lydia hugged him back. Her embrace weak and shaking but reassuring.

At a small cough Liam turned back to Scott. His alpha was looking at Theo, he jerked his head toward the door and without waiting for a response marched through it. Liam stood up and caught Theo’s glance at him, the chimera rolled his eyes but followed Scott. The beta hesitated, unsure whether to follow or not. Stiles and Derek seemed to be having a strange telepathic conversation using only their eyebrows. Derek sighed dramatically, releasing a harsh growl at Stiles who flinched and then hesitantly made a very human snarl back before following the others outside. 

Liam made to follow them but a look from Derek made him stop. Perhaps he should leave Scott to talk to Theo without him, after all Theo didn’t trust him enough to tell him anything anyway. Instead he moved to his best friend, gently hitting him on the shoulder in greeting, he received a sad smile in return.

 

“Pizza in your pocket, seriously? Dude, that’s gross!” 

After a few minutes of silence Liam had started talking. It wasn’t needed, but it was appreciated. The air became lighter and Lydia even let out a ghost of a breath through upturned lips – the closest she had probably come to laughing in a long time. 

“I mean, look at this!” Liam shrugged off his jacket and turned it inside out, showing the grease mark on the inside. “And it still smells like pepperoni.” Even Derek laughed at that.

“I still think it’s a bad idea.” Stiles voice broke into the light laughter as he and Scott came back inside. Sensing the lift in gloom Scott looked around and landed his eyes on Liam, smiling gratefully. For someone who was awkward and nervous, Liam had managed to somehow do what they had all tried but none had been able to do. Talk about something else.

“Where’s Theo?” Liam said after watching the door swing closed after only the two returned.

“He’s gone. I told him now wasn’t a great time.” Scott sighed, looking to Deaton. The sympathetic way the vet’s eyes drew together reminded Liam of the time Deaton had told Scott that leadership was a heavy burden. Scott was feeling this burden now. 

But Liam couldn’t bring himself to drop the subject.

“Gone where? What did you say?”

“Not far, I don’t think. I told him I will listen.”

Liam clamped his mouth shut to stop him saying any more and returned his attention to the pack in front of him. 

 

* * *

 

Liam walked back through the streets alone. Exhaustion had finally taken over Lydia, and Stiles and Scott had decided to take her back to her house. Her big empty house that was now entirely hers. Liam grimaced, he couldn’t imagine what was going through her head, it made his own head hurt just trying to empathise. Theo had left Scott’s bike outside the clinic before leaving and surprisingly Scott had said if Liam wanted to ride it back that would be ok, but Liam had chosen the walk. He was clenching and unclenching his fists. The anger pulsing back each time he thought he had quietened it. It was the complete loss of control that was driving him, Natalie’s body had been taken but it was still there, the body was still here close by, Corey had come back, Hayden had come back, Hell even Theo. But a heated argument with Deaton that Scott had had to step into, had more than confirmed that the natural death was something that you cannot come back from. Liam hadn’t felt this not in control in a long time. All of his IED episodes had been him taking control in some form, he was angry so he was doing something about it and damn the consequences. Whatever the problem there had always been some way to fight it. But now, the fight was gone. In everyone, everyone was just sitting around sadly like they had already given up. Liam wanted to scream, to punch something, this wasn’t how they did things! He snarled at himself. _“The sun, the moon, the truth.”_ He hissed, feeling his control tighten again enough for him to carry on thinking. The worst part was that it wasn’t his wolf that wanted to fight, his wolf had shrunk back, head bowed in submission, it was the human side of him raging, fighting to shout at everyone who was just sitting and doing _nothing_. How could they just sit there as though life would somehow carry on. It doesn’t. Life stops for a time. The people around you keep going and their lives don’t stop but for you, for the people touched by the death, the world does stop turning. It feels like it will never turn again, like the people walking past Liam on the street were oblivious to the chaotic cosmic force that had pressed pause. And what if it didn’t start turning again, how could it? When things could fall away from you so easily how was it possible that any divine intervention could make them fall back together again? 

And everyone was just so _still_. So quiet. Why was no one screaming? Why was no one shouting? Why had no one noticed that the world had stopped its rotation and the planet would soon be engulfed in ice and scorching flames, two opposite ends of the spectrum that intensified each other so much it would be impossible to look without burning your eyes. The world would fall in fire and ice and Liam stood at the centre of it. 

But as Liam unclenched his fists and dug the claws in again to the newly healed skin, closing his eyes to hide the glow, his other senses heightened for a second and a familiar scent hit his nose. His eyes snapped open. There was someone else standing at the centre of Armageddon with him. The son of a bitch responsible for this. The bastard that had taken him away from his pack when they needed him most. 

 

Liam didn’t move from his place in the shadows. "You're really surprised that they told you to get lost?" He called dryly at Theo who marched through the streets in the late afternoon light, angrily.

Theo turned around to glare at Liam in accusation. "Are you following me, Dunbar?" He asked incredulously.

Liam snorted, pushing himself from the wall without moving his hands from his pockets. "Like following you is high on my list of priorities." He rolled his eyes as if he was bored but then they fell on Theo hard and dangerous. "But you should watch where you walk. Lots of people are still hunting the supernaturals around here."

Theo watched him for a moment too long. A muscle ticked in his jaw and his eyes gleamed. Taking half a step closer, he opened his mouth to whisper. "Did you just threaten me?"

Liam matched the glare for a second before breaking eye contact to shrug. "Dunno. I mean, you're making your way back into the pack. You're all friendly but full of secrets. You won't tell me why you're back or what you want with Scott. And you have a history of, what was that thing? Oh, right. Murdering my alpha." He paused, seeing Theo's eyes empty of all feeling and cloud with hostility, barriers slamming up to display an emotionless void.

"Really, Liam? Still convinced I'm nothing more than a murderer?"

Another step closer. "You're nothing more than a monster."

Theo's eyes were still and blank as he stared at him, his shoulders tight and tense, fists clenched. "So this is baby beta talk for watch my step or my alpha is gonna kick your ass-"

Liam rolled his head around his shoulders. "No. This is beta talk for I'm gonna kick your ass."

"Wh-" 

Then Liam punched him. 

Theo stumbled backwards clutching his nose as blood poured onto his hoody. Liam stepped forward swinging his clawed hands into view. In the brief second it took Theo's nose to stop bleeding the two boys stared at each other. Something clicked in Theo's gaze and he lunged forward. Liam was ready for him and met him with a snarl, swiping a hand for the chimera's throat. Theo ducked and hit Liam in the stomach hard enough for the crack of ribs to be heard. Without giving the beta's body a chance to dull the pain he slammed his elbow into the centre of Liam's shoulder blades earning a loud cry that blended into a snarl when Liam snapped his fist up into Theo's chin, following the attack with a swift kick to Theo's liver. The answering growl made Liam grin. Theo matched the look, white teeth shining with blood. Then he flew forward again.

There was no sense of time during the fight. It could have been hours for all Liam knew, it probably was. All he was aware of was the pump of blood in his ears. The attack, the response. Theo's movements and his own, matching perfectly, never holding back but never deadly. It was rapid and furious. Too fast for a human to follow, too fast for a supernatural to follow. But somehow Liam could follow. As did Theo. They each took turns in leading the dance. A natural flow that Liam couldn’t explain guiding their movements. He had felt it before and his wolf responded to it, clenching his teeth in excitement.

A slash across the side of his neck brought Liam back to the present. He snarled at the pain and stumbled back to lean heavily against the wall, leaning his head back and taking deep breaths. He waited until he could feel his skin beginning to knit back together before opening his eyes and looking at the chimera. Theo was leaning on his knees, panting heavily, watching him wearily although they both knew they were done. Sweat clung to his brow and his body shook slightly at the strenuous workout he had just put it through.

"That make you feel better?" He spoke through breaths, dropping his head forward. Although his voice was still a growl of exhaustion mixed with anger, Liam could hear the buzz of the fight and the shaking rush the adrenaline left in its wake. Apparently, he wasn’t the only one that had needed to blow off some steam.

"A bit." Liam admitted, shaking out his limbs. 

"Good." Came the response in the form of a low chuckle. The corners of Liam's mouth fluttered and then he scrunched his eyes, counting to build courage. 

"I'm sorry for what I said." 

Theo huffed but said nothing. 

"You know I don’t really think that."

"Mmm."

"Mmm, what?"

After a minute the ice cracked and Theo straightened up. "I'm impressed, Dunbar. You're more of an asshole than I gave you credit for."

"Thanks?"

Theo snorted softly. "I think you should get going. Your dad reeked of guilt before and he'll be worrying about you."

Liam pushed himself upright and nodded. "Yeah, you're right." Then he looked at the older teen. "Do you- urm, you're sticking around, right?"

They fell into step beside each other, straightening their clothes and pulling folds of fabric around them as best they could to cover the blood. Theo squinted at the lowering sun, and spat out a gob of blood. "Yeah. For a few days or until Scott decides he will speak to me."

"Are you going to tell me what it's about?"

Theo sighed dramatically, considering. 

"Monroe."

" _Monroe?_ " 

"At the end of the war when she disappeared, everyone went back to their lives. No one seemed bothered with seeing where she would go or what she would do." Theo hunched his shoulders as he spoke.

"And you did?"

A glance. "I'm used to warfare and battle tactics, Liam. I was brought up to anticipate and countermove." His eyebrows tilted. "I guess that's the one thing I can thank the dread doctors for."

Liam let his thoughts drift to Theo's decade underground. To the control and torture and then the desperation that led him to hunt a pack so forcefully. Was that Theo really gone, or did the evil lurk somewhere beneath the surface? "So, what did you find?"

"I found her. Found a network of her followers."

A growl rumbled through Liam. They should have known it was all too good to be true. They would never stop being hunted and they were stupid to even think they had caught a break. Peter had been right to start his system of bases.

"Where is she?" Liam could hear the fight in his voice. The low dangerous tone that promised revenge for what the woman had done. But Theo's answer made his brain halt.

"She's dead."

"She's- what?"

"Dead."

Although the concept was simple, Liam's brain seemed to be struggling with it. "You're sure?"

"Yes, Liam. Pretty sure." The eye roll could be heard in his intonation.

"How?"

"Because I tore her jugular myself."

If any part of Liam's brain had still been working that made it stop completely. An image of the chimera's game face snarling as his claws devastated the human structure into an unrecognisable bloodied mess clear in his mind. "We don't kill people, Theo." Was that his voice? It didn’t sound like it even though he knew it was.

"No, _you_ don’t kill people. We can't all be true alphas like your precious Scott." Hostility jumping into his tone ready for a fight. 

"You look up to him too." Liam's voice was surprisingly steady.

Theo sighed at the lack of argument in the younger's tone. Liam wasn’t sure if it was relief or disappointment. "Yes but he didn’t get there by everyone keeping their hands clean. Some of us have to do the dirty work."

"And you think that's your responsibility?"

Theo looked at the ground. "It's what I'm good at."

They were both silent for a long time. Walking steadily forward, Liam wasn’t even sure where they were headed.

"It's not the only thing you're good at." He said softly. His mind going back to the hospital the previous year. 

"What?"

"You're pretty good at keeping me alive." Liam shrugged.

Theo snorted. "You don't exactly make it easy."

The air between them felt different. Not tense, nor awkward but a kind of nervous companionship Liam knew Theo bristled at. His shoulders were still hunched. After a moment Liam grinned. "Maybe you should get better at fighting then."

A bark of laughter came from the chimera beside him. "What? I clearly kicked your ass back there, Dunbar!"

"Dude, I know I cracked your jaw, you wanna go back and see the blood?"

"I literally felt your shoulder break." 

The banter came easily, insults tossing between them in a way that felt all too familiar and the muscles in Theo's shoulders relaxed. 

When they reached Liam's street he paused. "Do you have a place to stay?" He asked hesitantly.

Something flickered behind Theo's eyes, but it was gone before Liam could identify it. "Yeah, I have somewhere." 

Liam frowned at the tone but didn’t argue. "Ok, see you later then."

Theo nodded and turned around without saying anything. Liam watched him walk away for a minute, trying to place the strange feeling he got when Theo spoke, shaking his head he turned back and headed for his house. 

 

***

The rain thundered against Scott's bedroom window. Thick bullets of water that echoed the grief felt by the pack that night. He had left Lydia and Stiles at her house just before dusk and now he sat at his desk, staring at his anatomy book while his mind danced around disjointed thoughts. Liam's little trip had left him in shock, in more ways than one. Firstly with how competently the boy had survived on his own. A small part of Scott was saddened with the acknowledgement that his beta didn’t need him as much as he used to. Next was Theo, Scott still hadn't figured out how he felt about Theo being around them again. He had helped them more than once and, yes he did consider him an ally as he did Peter. But Theo had also disappeared into smoke at the same time Monroe did and although he apparently did want to explain all of this, Scott couldn't deny the fact that life worked without him. The pack had got on with their lives and no one had missed him. There was a crash of thunder loud overhead and the rain came harder. Scott could feel the cold bleeding into his room and he got up to close his curtains when a loud knock sounded from the front door. Scott hesitated and glanced at his bedside clock. It was almost 10pm. 

Halfway down the stairs Scott flicked his claws out. He met his mom and Argent coming in from the kitchen, they exchanged a look but said nothing. Scott made his way to the door, ready to open it. Argent stood in the hallway just out of sight but pulled out his gun just in case. Melissa stood in the kitchen where she was at a safe distance and could still see who the intruder was. 

A nod from Argent, and Scott swung the door wide.

The visitor was soaking wet, curly light brown hair plastered to his face. He was holding a duffle bag in one hand and wore a white t-shirt that clung to his lean muscled body in a way that hit Scott with shocking deja vu.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this took me so much longer than I hoped. Uni semesters are a bitch but I hope everyone likes it and thanks to my awesome betas!


	5. The world won't wait

"Hey Scott." Isaac murmured in a voice all too familiar. "I was hoping I could ask you a favour."

Scott stared. Suddenly they were back in Sophomore year with no hunters, no death and only a bedraggled homeless werewolf needing his alpha. Wordlessly Scott walked forward and threw his arms around his old beta, Isaac sagged into him exhausted and wrapped his arms around Scott's back. A noise that sounded like a sob was muffled by Scott's shoulder and immediately Melissa rushed forward.

"Oh my God, Isaac. Come inside right now." She barely gave the boys time to break apart before she was ushering Isaac inside and closing the door behind him. Isaac stopped when he saw Argent.

They looked at each other and Scott wasn’t sure what passed between them, then Argent reached out to grasp his shoulder firmly, smiling warmly. "It's good to see you."

Isaac sat at the McCall's dining room table, his hands wrapped around a warm mug that he took grateful sips from. His hair was fuzzy and damp from the hot shower Melissa had practically forced him into and he was dressed in some old baggy clothes of Scott's.

“So, tell me what happened in France.” Scott said calmly, taking the seat beside Isaac.

The teenager looked at Scott in a way that took Scott back to the alpha-beta bond he had shared with him previously, as though no time had passed, as though Isaac had never left and all the heartache and pain they had gone through had never happened. Before he could stop himself, Scott reached out and placed a hand on Isaac’s shoulder. The boy met his eyes and smiled nervously. Isaac’s hair was longer and slightly darker, his eyes looked much older although his face showed none of the time that had passed.

Isaac took a deep breath and played with the handle of the mug in front of him. “After you called me that night, when you told me about the hunters, I tried to get to you. I was ready to come, I had a flight booked and everything.” Scott’s hand tightened on his shoulder, he hadn’t known Isaac carried guilt for not coming to their aid in the final battle and in truth Scott was quite glad Isaac hadn’t been there. He had almost lost Liam when the hunters had cornered him in the hospital and the thought of someone else he loved being in danger scared him more than he would like to admit. “But the hunters were in Paris, they’d been watching us for a while and somehow, I don’t know, I guess me showing that I was about to move triggered them or something but they came after my pack-“

“You had a pack?”

Argent gave Scott a look at the strange tone in his voice but said nothing.

“Well, not really.” Isaac met his eyes with something that looked to Scott like fear hidden beneath a light-hearted twitch of the lips. “I was kind of…”

“The omega?” Melissa spoke up for the first time. Her eyes were creased with concern and Scott could see that she was fighting her motherly instinct to hug Isaac and tell him nothing could possibly break down the front doors to touch him again. But it wasn’t true, they all knew that. So Melissa stayed still. 

“If that.” Isaac grimaced and Scott withdrew his hand, sensing the comfort would no longer be appreciated. “There was a girl, Marie, she was the only one that was kind and, I guess I saw her as the little sister I never had. She was the one that came to tell me about the pack. We found them slaughtered across the city. It created uproar and the government locked the city down claiming it was an act of terrorism.”

“I heard about that.” Argent furrowed his brow, looking at Isaac. “You told me you avoided it.”

“We did.” He took a long gulp from the drink as though needing the caffeine to give him the strength to keep talking. “Me and Marie got out just in time. Escaped across the channel and made it to London.”

This took Scott by surprise and he raised his eyebrows at Argent. It was difficult not to say something but he held his tongue and waited for Isaac to continue his story. 

"We stayed underground for a while, a couple months. I thought we'd lost them but they found us and-" He stopped, looking away as his face twisted with the memory and they all knew it meant he had lost the first person he had allowed himself to care about since leaving Beacon Hills. "They spread her blood in the streets." He paused to drag in a shaking breath. 

"They were trying to provoke you." Argent said, his voice containing a thunder Scott remembered all too well. "Trying to get you to make a mistake. Do something stupid."

"I did." Isaac interrupted him, looking him dead in the eye. Then turning to look at Scott.

"What did you do?" Isaac's eyebrows pinched for a second at the forgiveness in Scott's voice. Even though he didn’t yet know what Isaac had done.

"I went to Jackson and Ethan." He dropped his head as though admitting to slaughtering them both. "I know I shouldn't have done. I could have lead the hunters straight to them but-"

"Isaac, you did the right thing." Scott interrupted him, voice loudly cutting off the regret and guilt radiating from the other wolf. Isaac looked at him, eyes wide and looking like a kicked dog. "If you had stayed hidden they would have found you. Jackson and Ethan can look after themselves."

"All the same, Scott, you should check in with them, make sure they're both alright." Argent said. "How long since you last saw them?" He directed the question at Isaac.

"Less than a week." He said, draining the rest of his drink. 

Scott gave Argent a look and a nod over the cup. "Get a good night's rest, Isaac." Argent stood up and tapped his shoulder. "The rest can be worked out tomorrow."

"Yeah, urm-" Isaac glanced at Scott nervously, "Can I-"

"Oh, Isaac don't even think about asking." Melissa said immediately, taking the mug and placing it by the sink. "You'll stay here. I'll make up your old room in the morning so just stay with Scott tonight, okay?"

Isaac didn’t say anything and Scott could see exhaustion and the tidal wave of emotions he had been hiding for god knows how long threatening to overwhelm the younger wolf. Apparently, Melissa saw it too. "Come here." She pulled him into one of her mama McCall hugs – Stiles had called them that ever since they were tiny- and Scott could pinpoint the exact moment Isaac's muscles relaxed and he all but collapsed against her thankfully. Scott smiled fondly, he didn’t know what it meant that Isaac was back but for now it didn't matter.

 

**

Liam leaned back against the door to the locker room, not meeting anyone's eyes. Mason and Corey sat beside each other, Corey had a hand on Mason's knee nervously. Lydia stood against a locker looking most as ease which was remarkable considering they were holding a pack meeting in the boy’s locker room in Beacon Hills high school. All Liam knew was that Stiles had sent a message last night saying they needed to meet early and that school was the best place as it was empty now it was the holidays and they had something important that they needed to talk about. This should have unnerved him but all Liam was able to think about was what Theo had told him yesterday. He couldn't get the image out of his head, of Theo killing Monroe, of Theo slicing through her throat. Was Theo still the same person? Theo _had_ changed and Monroe wouldn’t have stopped hunting them until they were all dead and buried... She had killed Lori; if anyone deserved what Theo dished out then it was her. But _then_ Scott said that they don’t kill people. But then can any wars really be won by keeping everyone alive? Throughout history sometimes the only clear answer in stopping someone was to kill them... But that wasn't his decision and even though Scott was his alpha and a true alpha, it wasn’t Scott's decision either. People live and people die, when an individual takes it upon themselves to try and influence this everything goes to shit and the individual is usually the one that gets fucked with the most.... Liam's mind drifted to how Theo was feeling, he had only considered what Theo had done, he hadn't actually thought of how it might have been affecting him. What if Theo's head was racing just as fast as Liam's? He had brought a fucktone of guilt and grief back with him when he came back from Hell and Liam was still pretty sure he still hadn't even begun to process most it. Surely killing a human would add to this mess inside his head? If that was the case then why had he done it? He had said someone needed to... Was that all? Was that his only reason? Was it enough? Was-

"Um? Why is Theo here?" Stiles stopped the second he stepped into the locker room after shoving Liam and the door out of the way. 

"He's here because I text him. " Liam snapped before Theo had even opened his mouth. He felt eyes fall on him and he knew he sounded aggressive but he wasn't in the mood for taking any form of shit today. 

"And why did you do that? It's not like any of us want him here." Stiles snarked.

Theo snorted. "The feeling in mutual, I assure you."

Liam rolled his eyes resisted the urge to snap at Theo too. "Well he's here now so get over it."

Stiles opened his mouth to argue more but Lydia interrupted him. "Stiles, what are we doing here?"

He stared hard at Theo for a minute longer before turning around to the rest of the pack. "Scott has something to tell us all, I figured here would be the best place because it kind of has a lot of memories for everyone and it'd probably be the best place for this _thing_ to be discussed without anyone overhearing."

Liam frowned, not understanding any of what Stiles had just said but then the door opened again and a tall lanky werewolf walked in, his curly hair stuck up in tufts as though no one had bothered to smooth it down since walking up. He looked tired and weary but Liam could tell he was strong. His already bad mood soured instantly although he couldn’t understand why. 

"Hey." The newcomer tried a smile into the room. "Scott won't be long, he needed to go somewhere so-“

Lydia let out an excited squeak and dashed forward to hug the teenager.

The hair on the back of Liam's neck rose and he glared at the intruder who was embracing Lydia with a grin.

"Who are you?" Liam demanded, fighting to keep the glow from his eyes. Now was definitely not a good time to have another episode. 

The boy’s eyes moved to Liam's and the smile dropped from his face as he let go of Lydia. He glanced nervously at Stiles before opening his mouth. "I'm Isaac."

The name danced with recognition in Liam's mind but he couldn’t grasp it, he didn’t care to. He could feel Theo's eyes on the side of his face and he angled his shoulders back, less aggressive and allowing Theo's accusing frown to come into vision making him step back ashamed of his irrational reaction.

"Scott's first beta." Stiles supplied, unhelpfully helpful.

Liam's eyes snapped open again, full glow. " _He's_ Scott's beta?" If he had been anyone else he would have shrank back from the light, taunting growl that rolled off his own tongue.

"I'm just his friend, I just came back to see him, I don't-" Isaac took a step backwards but it was too late. Red swam in Liam's vision and he lunged. 

 

"Stiles, stop them!" 

"Oh that's a great plan! Ask the human to break up a fight between two supernatural Rottweilers!" Stiles yelled back, dancing out of the way as Liam's back crashed through a locker right beside him.

"Liam, stop! _Liam!_ " A small part of Liam's brain recognised Theo's shout but he ignored it, keeping his mind in the fight and slashing a gouge beneath Isaac's ribs. He jumped away from the swipe aimed at his chest and raised his arm, attacking again. He was dimly aware of a figure behind him, reaching for his shoulder. They were trying to stop him. Didn't they understand that the fight couldn’t break? Liam and Isaac were locked in a death match. He spun around and caught Theo full on with a swift uppercut before returning his attention to Isaac and receiving a deep would in his shoulder making him snarl. 

Theo stumbled backwards holding his nose and swearing. 

"Someone do something!" Mason shouted. "Corey! Make one of them invisible!"

Corey raised his eyebrows in a panic at Mason but stepped forward all the same, he reached out hesitantly, keeping his feet firmly planted a safe distance away so he had to lean. Liam snapped his fangs at Corey with a warning growl.

"Nope!" Corey retreated to Mason's side in a flash. "Nope. Nope. Definitely not. No thank you."

"Lydia!" Stiles yelled desperately. 

Lydia looked at the two boys, and unleashed a scream. 

They both cannoned into the wall, but that didn’t stop them. Even before they landed in a heap they were leaping towards each other trying to reach the other's throat. 

After what seemed like an age and definitely far too long, Scott burst into the room, game face on. " _Liam!_ " He yelled. 

Liam paused briefly to look at him but Scott only held his attention for a second before he carried on fighting, his rage taking over. The anger becoming his alpha. 

" _Isaac!_ " Scott roared. 

Isaac's eyes darted to meet his, indecision contorting his face, torn between wanting to obey his alpha, yet knowing that even pausing for a second could mean losing the fight and none of them knew how far Liam would go. 

Scott watched Theo swipe away the blood from his face and tried to catch his eye. Theo raised his eyebrows at him and then after a moment nodded.

Scott roared, his alpha authority making his animal cry like thunder. Liam froze, giving Theo the second he needed to slam into him, tackling him to the ground. Scott did the same with Isaac, pinning him to floor. 

_"What the hell is this?!"_

Eight sets of eyes turned to look at the intruder. Bobby Finstock stood in the doorway, staring at the scene in front of him. Of all the things Coach could have said, none of them expected the eye roll and the sauntering past them towards his office. "Don't you kids understand what spring break means!"

Liam raised his fanged face from where he was still pinned to the ground and snarled loudly at Theo sitting astride him. Theo didn’t even hesitate before lifting a fist and slamming it into Liam's temple. Then everything went black. 

 

***

A heavy pounding that seemed to echo as loudly as it hurt was the first thing Liam noticed when he woke up. The pounding thrummed inside his skull and he kept his eyes closed, trying to force his battered brain to remember what had just happened. His body ached and he could feel a faint tingling on his chest, the tell-tale sensation of an injury healing itself. There was another heartbeat in the room with him. 

"Ow. Fuck!" Liam yelped, jerking upright and clutching his chest. His hand came away wet and sticky, a mix of his own blood and some foul-smelling substance. Scott took a step back, returning more of the offending concoction back to the jar.

"How are you feeling?" He asked gently, returning to his place at his side, where he always was. The jar was set down on the bench beside him and Liam probed it away with a single finger, wrinkling his nose.

Liam looked at Scott, half expecting anger or disappointment. Instead he only found concern. "Fine." He mumbled, rubbing the wound that was still oozing blood.

"Do you remember what happened?" When he glanced out of the window Liam could see the other werewolf- Isaac- pacing across the field, picking at a dressing on his neck which was probably made of the same crap that was smeared across his own chest right now. 

Liam hung his head, of course he knew who Isaac was, and Scott should probably be a lot more inclined to be talking to him than Liam right about now. "I had another episode, I went mad, I nearly killed him." The words came out through extensive overuse. Muscle memory shaping the monotone sounds without really thinking about what he was saying. He had fucked up was what he had done quite simply. For all the progress he thought he had made, the journey into the desert to bring Theo back, being strong enough to maybe be an alpha one day, Liam was still just a kid with anger problems.

A soft snort came from Scott and Liam looked up. "No, Liam. You didn't." 

The beta didn’t say anything but allowed his brows to furrow in slight confusion, absently he began picking at the clay like substance on his chest as it dried.

"I mean, yes, you had an episode and yes you attacked Isaac which is not okay, Liam. Not ever." His eyes were hard and serious and Liam shrank a little beneath the disappointment Scott was beginning to reveal. Then he smiled. "But he's fine. Isaac can take it, he's strong, you didn’t do too much damage."

Liam flicked a bit of grey plant extract from his wound onto the floor. "So much for me being the strongest beta then." He grumbled.

Scott chuckled. "Liam, you are the strongest beta Derek has ever seen and one day I think you will be the strongest alpha most werewolves will _ever_ see, but you're still a baby wolf." Scott laughed as Liam narrowed his eyes and growled softly at the patronising nickname. "Isaac has been a wolf longer than you, he's been in more fights than you and he's kind of had a shitty time the last couple of years so-"

"Yeah I know. I shouldn't have done that-"

"Liam, it's okay." Acceptance, forgiveness and _comfort_ were things he had never received post-episode before.

"Umm..."

"Look, I am mad okay." Scott even laughed at the relieved breath Liam made when he said that. "And if you try and touch Isaac again it will be a line you won't come back from; for both of us. But I think you know that." Liam nodded. 

He swallowed. "I-I don't know what happened. I haven't felt like that since the first full moon and the bite." It took him a second try to actually get the words out, he was ashamed of the lapse in control. 

"Liam, you didn’t slip up. You're a werewolf, you reacted exactly as a wolf would have done." Liam glanced at him uncertainly. "Well... a wolf with I.E.D."

Liam snorted, and Scott laughed, the air between them felt light and easy again.

"So... what's he doing here?" Liam wondered aloud after a moment, standing up and picking up his t-shirt from the floor, wincing as the movement caused he wound to bleed again.

"Running... Coming back home... I'm not sure if he really knows" Scott shrugged as if the actual reason behind Isaac's return hadn't even crossed his mind at all.

"But you trust him." It wasn’t a question.

"Always."

Liam looked at the taller wolf through the window again and something caught his eye. Theo was strolling across the field towards him. Liam tilted his head an inch in curiosity and watched. Scott, noticing his attention drawn, followed his gaze. The alpha bristled instantly and turned towards the door.

"Scott, you said you would listen to him. If he's going to be around at least for that, you should start giving him a chance." Liam tried to make it sound soft and sagely, the way Scott spoke, but it came out in a garbled rush as he forced himself to get the words out before he chickened out.

Scott stopped by the door, Liam could tell from his back that he was thinking about what he said. "Do you trust him?" He said eventually looking back at Liam.

Liam didn’t answer, he looked out of the window again. The chimera and the other beta stood together talking but Liam could still see the tension between them, could see Theo's hackles twitching to rise.

"I don’t _not_ trust him." 

Scott snorted and opened his mouth to say something.

"I know, it doesn’t make sense." Liam said wryly.

A soft chuckle made him look up again. "Actually, it does."

"Really?"

"A little." He admitted, still grinning. "Maybe I've just been around you too long."

Then Scott breathed in deeply and looked out of the window, watching. Liam watched his face, he could read the thoughts going through Scott's head. He had a responsibility to keep the pack safe, and he was fiercely protective of Isaac, as he always had been of Liam. There was doubt, remembering how Theo had betrayed them all before and Liam had been suckered in by it. There was admittance to his own feelings of second chances and that he guessed Theo had been an ally to them. But ultimately there was a soft nod when Scott's thought process came to Liam, he trusted his beta with an unshakeable certainty. Liam had asked him to trust him once before, when he had brought Theo out of the ground and Scott had done so against his own better judgement; so far it hadn't been proved that he made the wrong decision.

Liam released a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding when Scott nodded his acceptance. They looked out of the window again together at the two supernatural teens on the field.

Then Theo's posture changed. He swung his arm back. And socked Isaac across the jaw.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter turned out wayyyyy bigger than I intended so I split it into two, I tried to conclude and they just kept going so sorry if it feels like a cliffhanger or an abrupt ending (:  
> I hope everyone likes it!


	6. Take this off my shoulders

Scott charged outside before Liam could open his mouth. The wound in his chest hurt as his body jostled it but he ignored it and dashed after the alpha. 

 

Scott didn’t hesitate or slow down when he reached them. His eyes blazed with anger and he swung his fist at Theo, successfully sending the chimera to the floor in a heap. 

 

Liam slowed and stared between Scott and Theo, mouth open gormlessly. He met Isaac's eyes, he was clutching his jaw and looked just as bewildered as him. Liam was starting to worry that Scott and Theo were about to re-enact his and Isaac's show from earlier as Theo got to his feet with a growl. 

 

 _"Enough!"_

 

Liam breathed out in relief, he had never been so happy to hear Coach's voice. 

 

"I don't know why you boys think you have the right to turn the school into a boxing ring today but it's _not happening_." He grabbed Scott and Theo by the fabric at their necks and dragged them back inside. "If it weren't summer vacation I'd send you both to the principles' office!" Liam heard him snap. 

 

"Umm..." Liam turned to Isaac, feeling awkward at the sudden absence of anyone else. Isaac looked at him, raising a brow with a mix of annoyance and wariness. 

 

"I'm sorry about before." Liam mumbled, stuffing his hands deep into his pockets. "I have I.E.D. and that’s totally not a get out of jail free card, I just got my back up when you said you were Scott's beta, canine territorialism I guess..." He wasn’t sure if that made sense, dammit where was Mason when he needed him? 

 

To his surprise Isaac shrugged, a half smile turning his lips. "S'alright. I kinda reacted the same way, I just don't think anyone noticed, they were too concerned with you." 

 

Liam huffed a soft laugh at the olive branch Isaac extended and glanced away to the door closing behind Coach. After a moment's silence the awkwardness returned. What was supposed to happen now? Did they shake hands? People did that in movies. Did they hug? Liam glanced at Isaac sideways. Nope. He'd said sorry that was enough right? In the end he settled for shifting his weight from one foot to another and blowing air from his lips in little squeaks. He felt Isaac look at him but said nothing. 

 

"What happened to the others?" Liam asked quickly, excited at the sudden conversation topic. 

 

"Stiles had to meet Derek." Isaac said in a strange voice but Liam didn’t say anything. "Lydia has relatives coming for the funeral that she had to meet- although I think that might have been an excuse... The other two-" 

 

"Mason and Corey." Liam supplied helpfully. 

 

"Yeah. They brought this stuff back from Deaton." He fingered the now solid mixture on his neck. "But then I'm pretty sure Mason went with Lydia." 

 

Liam furrowed his brows. "Why?" 

 

Isaac regarded him for a minute, considering. Liam was Scott's pack but to Isaac he was still a stranger and Lydia was his friend. Apparently, he decided he was trustworthy. "She got a phone call and acted a bit funny then left." 

 

"Oh." Was all Liam could say, but none of them really knew what was going on inside Lydia's head so who was Liam to say whether this was something to worry about or not? "Corey go with him too?" He asked eventually. 

 

Isaac shrugged. "I assume so." 

 

*** 

 

"Derek!" 

 

Stiles thumped his fist heavily on the door to Derek's loft. The echo of it was greeted with silence. He pounded on it again harder. "Derek, open the freaking door or I swear to God!" 

 

Nothing. 

 

"For fuck sake." He grumbled digging his hand into his pocket. 

 

The lock sprung open as it had a thousand times before and Stiles slid the door wide. 

 

"You know, breaking and entering is a thing, Stiles." Peter called out to him immediately from his seat by the window. His legs were crossed lazily on a chair in front of him and he was riffling through a pile on papers on the floor beside him. 

 

"You know, answering the door is a thing." The human snapped back, saying it loud enough for Derek to know it was aimed at him. He strolled forwards and looked around for the werewolf. "Did you teach him that by the way?" He snarked at Peter. 

 

"What? How not to answer the door to a Stilinski?" He hummed. "No, it's a family trait. Thankfully we're all born with it." 

 

Stiles rolled his eyes and started up the feeble spiral staircase in the corner, taking the steps two at a time. 

 

"Derek." 

 

Derek appeared on the top step, two unimpressed eyebrows raised and a pizza crust sticking out of his mouth. 

 

"Where the Hell were you?" Stiles demanded, ignoring how Derek managed to make an inanimate object such as a half-eaten pizza crust look annoyed at him for being there. 

 

"What?" The werewolf started down the stairs, advancing until Stiles was forced to scramble backwards. 

 

"I know Scotty came to see you about Isaac. What did you say? Why didn’t you come and help? Liam and Isaac could have _killed_ each other, you selfish ass-" Stiles snapped his mouth closed as Derek growled in his face, fangs inches from him. 

 

Derek huffed, apparently satisfied with shutting him up and turned his back on him. 

 

"Dude. It wouldn't have killed you to try and help us for once in your life." Stiles started again and Derek glared at him, they both knew Stiles didn’t mean it but he was pissed and he didn't hold back when he was pissed. "What did you say to him?" 

 

"He didn't say anything." Peter shouted from the window. 

 

Stiles narrowed his eyes at Derek. "Seriously? After everything, we're back to this? Not opening the door to us." 

 

"Yes, and Scott is polite enough to take the hint and not break in." His uncle chirped, smiling sweetly at Stiles. "Please take the hint, Stiles." 

 

Stiles didn’t even look at him as he flipped him off, staring at Derek, demanding an answer. 

 

"You know, for once, Stiles, this might not be about you." Derek snapped and turned towards the door, slamming it shut behind him. 

 

"Drama Queen." Stiles muttered, knowing Derek would hear him. He turned to Peter. 

 

"Don't look at me, you're much more well-versed in couple fights than I am." He said, staring back at the paper in front of him. 

 

Stiles rolled his eyes and followed Derek. 

 

"Dude!" Stiles finally caught up to him outside. 

 

Derek turned around and looked at him with a resigned expression. One corner of his mouth twitched when Stiles leaned on his knees and panted heavily from running down the stairs. 

 

"And you think I'm a drama queen." 

 

"That's- that's a lot of stairs." He gestured vaguely in a direction that wasn’t even remotely where they had come from. "Anyway," He straightened up. "What do you mean not about me? Cause, firstly, what? Secondly, everything is about me- remember that- thirdly, what do you mean?" 

 

"That's the same question twice, Stiles." 

 

"Well answer it then, dumbass." Stiles could tell Derek was being avoidy but he had no patience right now, watching his best friend get very almost seriously hurt as two of his other friends tried to rip each other apart wasn’t something that sat well with him. 

 

Derek seemed to sense this and shrugged. "I didn't think I could help." 

 

"No, no, no. You actually gotta use your sentences here, big guy." Derek watched him. "Scott left Isaac to meet us all alone because he needed to come to you first. Do you get that? He needed you and he trusted that you would help him and tell him how to deal with the prodigal son meeting his kid with anger issues." He paused to back up his sentence with a glare before continuing. "And you were a dick. And you left him in the dark. What the fuck, dude?" 

 

"I didn’t think I could help, Stiles!" Derek shouted. Stiles didn’t flinch. With a snarl and glance skyward, his shoulders drooped and he met his eyes again. "You remember when I was an alpha." He didn’t wait for the nod. "I wasn’t a good alpha. I couldn't lead, I couldn't help, I couldn't even save them. I was the worst alpha I've known- especially to Isaac." He took in a shaky breath. "I killed Boyd." He whispered. Stiles could see that the words were hard but he said nothing, waiting for the wolf to collect himself. "Thank God Cora needed me to give it up because if that's the kind of monster I would have become-" He stopped, snarling softly at the memory of his past self, but then the glance at Stiles sobered him and he opened his mouth again. "Scott became a better alpha to Isaac than I ever was... I couldn't help today. Whatever Scott would have and did figure out without me would have been better than anything I could tell him. Scott is a leader, he knows what to do. The only thing I could do was force him to trust that." 

 

Stiles said nothing for a long time. Derek seemed to have used up all his words for this century and his mouth was firmly clamped shut. 

 

Stiles pursed his lips. "Are you going to face him then?" 

 

Derek looked up at the blasé tone in Stiles' voice. "Scott?" 

 

"Isaac." Derek didn’t respond and Stiles sighed. "I hate you for this, just FYI. I'm mad at you for standing my best friend up and now I have to comfort your brooding butt." Derek narrowed his eyes at him in a way that said any form of comfort would definitely not be appreciated. Stiles ignored it. "You weren't the worst alpha. I mean, yeah you were terrible-" Derek snorted at Stiles' comforting skills. "But you weren't evil. You weren't homicidal and dangerous, you were just, I dunno- kinda shit..." He raised his eyebrows in a _I tried, that's all I got_. 

 

Derek snorted and a smirk tugged at his lips. 

 

"Come on." Stiles said, starting back up the steps. 

 

"Stiles... You don't live here." Derek began. 

 

"No, but you do so get your coat cause we're going to see Isaac. Also, I want pizza." 

 

 

"Domestic over?" Peter smiled when Derek opened the door. Stiles went straight to kitchen, finding the leftover pizza Derek had snacked on earlier as though he were the one with a supernatural sense of smell. 

 

Derek flung a notepad at Peter's head. He caught it without looking up from the paper he had returned his attention to. "We're going out." He muttered, shouldering into his jacket. "Make sure you've got all that sorted when I get back." 

 

"Have I ever given you any reason to doubt me?" Peter asked theatrically. Derek ignored it and grabbed Stiles who managed to stuff the rest of his piece into his mouth and grab another before Derek was shoving him out of the door. Stiles eyed the paperwork in Peter's lap, only not asking aloud what it was because he had a mouthful of pizza. 

 

*** 

 

"I've got half a mind to send you there the moment school opens again." Coach was growling at the two boys from his office. 

 

"We're not even students here anymore." Scott answered back easily. 

 

Coach paused. "Then why the hell are you even here?!" He demanded. 

 

Theo looked at Scott. 

 

"This place was pretty important to us, we wanted to do a pack reunion-" Theo flinched at the word but Coach didn’t seem to have noticed. "-and we always had such great memories here. And you were such a great Coach." He said smoothly. 

 

Theo stared. No way would it be that easy. 

 

Apparently, it was. Coach nodded to himself for a minute. "Well... Well, I can't fault you for that, I guess. But don't let me catch you guys here again. Now get the hell out!" 

 

Scott flashed Theo a grin and turned to leave, the chimera blinked but mutely followed him. 

 

"Wait a minute." Both boys turned. "You, what's your name?" Coach didn’t look up but he gestured to Theo. 

 

Scott raised his eyebrows at him, silently saying, _he knows my name so he's definitely not talking to me_. 

 

"Um... Theo. Raeken." He said slowly, narrowing his eyes. 

 

"I want to talk to you." He said, looking at the boy. Theo bristled. "Not you, McCall. Bye." He leaned around Theo to glare at Scott. 

 

"Um, but Coach-" Scott began. 

 

"Only for a minute. Now get out." He snapped back. 

 

Scott had no choice but to leave. On the other side of the door he listened, hearing nothing for a minute then; "McCall!" Scott snapped his teeth in annoyance then walked back onto the field towards his betas. 

 

“Where’s Theo?” Liam asked, seeing no one follow Scott. 

 

“Coach wanted to see him.” Scott looked between them. “Everything okay?” 

 

“Yeah.” Isaac nodded at Liam. “I like him.” 

 

Liam stared. Surprised that Isaac would say this in front of him and surprised that Isaac would say _this_. 

 

“He’s strong and he had your back when I wasn’t here.” He said. 

 

Scott smiled. 

 

“Yeah.” Liam said, feeling like he should say something. “We’re cool.” Was all he mumbled. He wasn’t meaning to sound like a dick and he had decided that he did actually quite like Isaac, he just couldn’t understand why he felt so uneasy with him around. 

 

“We should go. Stiles says he’s heading to mine now.” Scott said and Isaac nodded. “Are you coming, Liam?” 

 

“Um.” Liam looked at the door to where Coach and Theo still were, then back at Scott and Isaac. He liked how they looked standing beside each other. Like Isaac had always been there. “No, I’m gonna wait for Theo.” He wasn’t actually all that desperate to wait for him, but he didn’t really feel very much like being around Scott and Isaac either. 

 

Scott searched his eyes for a minute, reading the unease. “Okay.” He said slowly with a look that promised a talk if he wanted one. “See you later.” 

 

“Yeah.” 

 

 

Liam was sitting on the hood of his car when Theo finally emerged. He looked surprised to see Liam still there. 

 

“What was that about?” Liam asked as he approached. 

 

“Nothing.” 

 

Liam lifted an eyebrow. 

 

“Nothing important.” Theo didn’t look at him. 

 

Liam didn’t look convinced but let it go. 

 

“So nice to see you’re so accepting of Scott’s ex-beta.” He teased, coming to lean on the car next to him. 

 

“Still beta.” Liam corrected. 

 

“Someone’s jealous.” He said, the teasing note gone from his voice and Liam growled at him. 

 

“I’m not. I’m glad Scott has him back. I just-“ 

 

“Aren’t used to having another beta?” 

 

“Yeah.” Liam hung his head. “Dumb of me right?” 

 

Theo snorted. “Don’t ask me, you’re the pack animal.” 

 

They both were silent for a few minutes. Liam was about to hop down and say he should really go home and shower, the dried blood was cracking on his chest and he could still smell the healing mixture Scott had put on him earlier. 

 

"I don't trust him." Theo said suddenly. 

 

Liam looked at him in surprise. Did Theo just voluntarily confide something in Liam without it being forced out of him? That had to be progress on the trusting front, right? 

 

"That why you punched him?" He asked 

 

Theo looked at him, his eyes briefly dropped to the red patch currently soaking through his t-shirt, before looking away. “Yeah." 

 

Liam took a deep breath and hopped down from the bonnet. “I need to wash this shit off.” He said tugging out his keys. 

 

“You should, you stink.” Theo agreed, wrinkling his nose. 

 

Liam snorted. “Still smell better than you.” 

 

“That’s because I’ve been around you all day. You’re disgusting stench is clinging to me.” 

 

Liam got in the car and stuck his finger up, making Theo laugh as he leaned away from the bonnet. 

 

Theo watched Liam drive off and pulled out his own keys. He sighed and shoved his duffle bag of clothes out of sight, rubbing a tired hand across his face. Maybe if he parked somewhere discrete enough he could make it through the damn night. 

 

 

*** 

 

“Scott? You home buddy?” Stiles called into the large house, throwing the door wide and stepping inside, expecting Derek to follow him. Which he did. 

 

“Sco-“ Stiles walked straight into his best friend coming in from the kitchen. 

 

“Dude!” Stiles complained, rubbing his nose. 

 

“You walked into me!” Scott argued. 

 

“You’re the werewolf! Take the heightened hearing or smell for a test drive one day, you might notice someone coming into your house.” The human grumbled back. 

 

“I need fucking sixth sense to get a heads up with you.” 

 

“Which we don’t have, by the way.” Isaac chimed in, poking his head into the entrance way and trying to force away the grin that was fighting its way onto his face at the sight of Stiles growling behind his hands and Scott holding his jaw. 

 

The sight of Derek managed to sober the grin, however. He stared at the older wolf and Scott and Stiles simultaneously stepped back, Stiles still grumbling and holding his nose. 

 

Derek stood slightly awkwardly, his usually bored expression wasn’t there and his lips twitched at a suggestion of a smile. “Hey, Isaac.” 

 

“Hey.” The tanned werewolf murmured. He hesitated for a minute then stepped forward and hugged him. 

 

Stiles grinned at the uncomfortable look on Derek’s face and Derek narrowed his eyes at him, squeezing Isaac back briefly before his arms fell away. 

 

When they broke apart Stiles grabbed Isaac and pulled him into the kitchen. “How did you go half way around the world, and have that train wreck of a time in France, and you're still not a jackass? Dude, you need to spend more time with us-” 

 

Scott snorted at Stiles’ complete lack of subtlety. 

 

“I’m sorry about-“ Derek began. 

 

“It’s fine. We handled it.” Scott said simply. 

 

“Okay.” Derek said stiffly. 

 

Scott looked up. “But I do need your help with something.” 

 

Derek arched a brow. 

 

“I’m not sure Liam is okay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, so I'm sorry this one is shorter and not as theo and liamy, like I said before I split the last chapter into two so this is why  
> The next chapter is a lot more thiam-based I promise but I hope you like this :)
> 
> And if anyone was wondering the chapter title is from Machine Gun Kelly's Home- I recommend y'all to go listen to it


	7. Memorial

It had been a week since Lydia’s mom died. A week and a day. Liam looked at himself in the mirror and felt sick. His black pants and shirt looked smart and his hair was neat and tidy. He shouldn’t look so smart, the only person they all cared about today wouldn’t even see what they were wearing. Smart clothes looked sensible, and ordered, and like people who had good jobs and worked in offices… The kinds of people who had their lives together. The ones who were stable, with everything under control… 

 

A shaky breath fell out of Liam. He felt anything but stable right now and nothing was under control. 

 

“Oh honey.” Mrs. Geyer engulfed Liam in her arms less than a second after she poked her head around the door to see if he was ready. Liam leaned into her gratefully. 

 

“Are you sure you can do this? You can always stay home-“ She pulled back, framing Liam’s face with her hands. 

 

“Mom. I can’t call in sick to a funeral.” Liam sniffed, grinning at her. 

 

“Oh don’t be silly, of course you can.” She scoffed, waving a hand in the air dismissively. 

 

“Jo, for goodness sake. He can’t miss the funeral, now will you finish getting ready." Dr. Geyer poked his head around the door to roll his eyes at Liam and shoo his wife away because even though she was dressed and looked wonderful they both knew she would take at least half an hour to decide on a pair of shoes. 

 

His mom left and Liam picked up his phone. There was a message from Mason asking if he was there already, then another message asking how bad it was so show up late to a funeral... Liam frowned before the penny dropped and he groaned out loud. 

 

 _"Duuuuude. Way bad, it's like way bad- especially for that fucking reason!"_ He typed quickly but still snorted, Mason and Corey were the perfect picture of domestic bliss and yet even though they had been together for almost two years, they still had the worst timing for disappearing off together to make out and- Liam shut down that train of thought and skimmed through the other messages, the pack chat was quiet this morning; everyone seemingly preferred to private message one another. 

 

His phone jumped to life in his hand, blasting out a shrill ring tone. Realising that wasn’t the best thing to have at a funeral, Liam flicked the silent button before answering, muttering an annoyed _"Finally."_

 

"No." He heard the voice snap before he had time to even say hello. 

 

"You don't even know what I was going to say." He replied back, annoyance colouring his tone. 

 

"I'm not going to the funeral." Theo said bluntly. 

 

"How do you know I was calling about that?" He snarked back defensively. 

 

"Why else would you be calling me?" He could hear the deadpan tone and ground his teeth. 

 

"I don't know, maybe there's a pack thing happening and-" 

 

"There is. Lydia's mom's funeral." He interrupted. 

 

"Like a meeting or some shit, dumbass! Or-" 

 

"Are you calling me to badger me about going?" 

 

"I-" Liam flailed, looking for any answer that wouldn’t prove the arrogant son of a bitch right. "I'm actually wanting to know why you didn’t pick up when I called you before?" His voice sounded ridiculously childish, the way it would sound if someone was to follow it with sticking their tongue out. 

 

He heard Theo's answering snort. "Right." 

 

"So-" 

 

"Liam!" He heard his dad call from downstairs. "We're leaving in ten!" 

 

"Yeah." He yelled back, not bothering to cover the mouthpiece to do so and he heard Theo curse at the noise berating his sensitive ears. "Sorry." He mumbled. 

 

Theo sighed. "The fuck do you want, Liam?" 

 

"You gotta come to the funeral." 

 

"You are such a fucking lia-" 

 

"How are you going to make it work with the pack if you don’t show?" Liam interrupted him impatiently. 

 

"Who says I'm trying to make anything work with the pack?" Liam could literally hear Theo's mask slipping into place over his features. Liam said nothing and heard Theo sigh loudly. "I never even knew the woman... And if I had, I would probably have tried to kill her." 

 

Liam flopped down on his bed and looked at the ceiling. Theo had a point. But Liam was sure he wasn’t imagining the remorse in his voice so pressed on. "This is for Lydia. Funerals aren't just about the person who died, they're also about the people left behind." 

 

There was a long silence. Liam heard his parents call him again. "Look, if the pack was going to have an issue with it, I wouldn’t tell you to come but today Lydia needs everyone so-" 

 

"So, she doesn’t need drama with me being there." 

 

Liam sighed and relented. "Okay, if you don't want to then fine. Stay away and sulk like a brooding little-" 

 

"Fuck off." 

 

"But if you actually want to try the human thing and be there for one of us, then meet me at mine in ten minutes and I really hope you decide to come because I think my parents just left without me." 

 

There was a long silence and Liam held his breath. 

 

"Fine." Theo snapped grumpily. "I'll be there for one of you." 

 

 

*** 

 

Liam's parents took a bit more convincing before they agreed to actually leave without him but he assured them that Theo would be there soon and that he would drive him. They had wanted to wait and drive Theo too but Liam knew Theo would definitely bolt from that idea so he convinced them to go on ahead and he would meet them there. 

 

It took Theo just over ten minutes to arrive, giving Liam time to rush around, digging through his and his dad's clothes, hunting for something that might fit him. He hadn't thought to ask if Theo owned a suit but he seriously doubted that he did. The guy had been raised underground for ten years, no parents, no family. Where was he even staying now? Liam paused in his hunting, he realised he had no idea. He mentally made a note to ask him that when he arrived. 

 

The funeral would start in half an hour, nerves about Theo's intrusion to the memorial had successfully made Liam forget about his own sick feeling. This was right, right? Theo wasn’t their enemy any more, Lydia had even been grateful when Theo had told her he was sorry for her mom's death... He wasn’t trying to force the chimera to go, he was just trying to get around the stupid road block that forcefully stood between Theo and everything that was pack. But then Theo didn't even want to be pack, right? He was here to tell Scott about Monroe, about the hunters' movement and of Monroe's network he had begun to disable before they had found him and tried to kill him... 

 

Did that mean he would leave as soon as he had spoken to Scott? _Fucking coward._ Liam growled inwardly with annoyance. Not that he cared if Theo left, it was just... a coward's way out. 

 

"Oh, thank God." He breathed as soon as he heard the truck pull up outside, saving him from his brain freak out. 

 

All thoughts abandoned Liam when he opened the door. 

 

Theo stood in the doorway. He wore a black suit and white shirt that somehow made him look at lot taller than his usual two inches above Liam- not that Liam was petty enough to notice things like that. Theo's hair was actually brushed and he smelled really good. He didn't have a tie and the top two buttons of his shirt were undone revealing a small 'V' of tanned flesh. 

 

"Hey." Liam forced himself to stand away from the door, leaving it open for Theo to follow him inside. He did, albeit slowly and hesitantly. "Did you- urm, did you want a tie?" Liam babbled, not turning around. 

 

Theo paused and glanced down at himself. "I dunno, Liam. I haven't exactly done the whole funeral thing before?" He snapped. 

 

"You haven't?" Liam turned. 

 

Theo levelled a look at him. "No, I didn't really hang around that long after killing someone." Sarcasm dripped from his tone and Liam narrowed his eyes at him. 

 

"Asshole." 

 

He left Theo standing awkwardly in the living room while he ventured into his parent's bedroom to hunt out a tie. It didn’t take him long to dig out another black one, how many black ties does one man need? The one he was currently wearing was stolen from his dad's closet too. Maybe working in the hospital meant you see a lot of people die? Well, Liam knew it did but he'd never given it much thought before. He guessed that was something else he and he step dad had in common. 

 

Liam came down the steps and held the tie out to Theo. Theo looked at it but made no move to take it. Liam made a face of bemusement for a second before his eyes widened. "You don't kn-" A glare from Theo shut him up instantly and he bit his lips between his teeth forcing himself not to say another word. 

 

They stood awkwardly, neither of them moved. Then Liam opened his mouth again. Theo growled and he snapped it shut. 

 

A minute passed. 

 

"Yeah, but seriously-" 

 

"Ground, Liam! Under the fucking ground!" 

 

Liam threw his hands up. "Okay, okay." 

 

Theo's nostrils flared but he let his annoyed gaze drop. 

 

"Um." Liam tried to make an apparent gesture with his hand that ended up more like a flail and he let his arms drop back to his sides with something that to Theo resembled more a flightless bird that human sign language. 

 

Theo's eyes rolled up and he sighed, twitching an eyebrow. Liam looked at the column of exposed throat between the flaps of his shirt, then looked back up at Theo. The chimera narrowed his eyes slightly but then nodded once, a movement so slight, Liam barely caught it. 

 

Theo's shoulders tensed but he didn’t resist as Liam flicked his collar up and slid the line of black material around the back of his neck. He pulled both ends to the right length at the front and Theo inhaled sharply, starting to twist his head away before he stopped himself, as though his body was trying to escape the sudden confinement. 

 

Liam hesitated then loosened his grip, knotting the tie low down so the ends were slack. He let go and moved his hands back up, fingers brushing the nape of Theo's neck as he bent the collar down over the material. Theo swallowed and Liam watched the movement, his finger tips came to the buttons on Theo's shirt and deftly slid them through the holes, closing the view of sandy coloured skin from his sight and he slid the tie into place. 

 

The second he let go Theo stepped back and turned away, his own hands came up to fiddle with the knot around his neck and he marched to the door, yanking it open. "Get a move on then." Was all he said before making his way to the car. 

 

Liam stood still in the living room, his limbs not quite ready to move yet, they seemed to have agreed to give his brain a quick time-out. 

 

A car horn blared in the street and he jerked violently, then snatched up his keys and phone and hurried out of the door. 

 

 

"Are you going to run again when this is over." Liam tried to sound nonchalant, breaking the awkward silence that had been swirling around the car for the like eight and a half minutes. 

 

"What?" Theo snapped. 

 

"When you've spoken to Scott, will you disappear again?" 

 

"I don't run." Theo said stiffly. 

 

"You ran twice already. After the ghost riders and-" 

 

"That was you!" Theo shouted. "You told me to go!" 

 

Liam stopped, of all the answers that was the last thing he had expected to hear. "What?" 

 

Theo sighed. "The day Hayden dumped you. You called me a monster and murderer-" 

 

"You told me to just get over it!" Liam snapped back defensively. 

 

"And you told me to go." Theo said. 

 

Liam said nothing... _That's why you left?_ He thought, maybe he had said it out loud, he couldn't be sure. 

 

Theo pulled into the car park without saying another word. The cemetery was full of people, more than Liam was used to seeing there. He saw a bunch of familiar faces amongst the crowd of not so familiar ones. There were students, and other teachers from Beacon Hills high. He even thought he caught a glimpse of Coach offering the new and less genocidal inclined guidance councillor a swig from a hip flask. 

 

Liam glanced across at the chimera when he slammed the car door closed behind him. He looked bored and uncomfortable, like he wished he could be anywhere else. Out of the corner of his eye Liam spotted a dark red blanket hanging off the back seat and he suddenly remembered the other thing he had meant to ask him. "Theo, where are you sta-" 

 

 _"Kira?!"_ They both turned at the shocked gasp of the redhaired banshee and Liam saw Lydia fling her arms around a short girl with long black hair curling across her shoulder blades in waves. 

 

Liam grinned and made a start towards the little kitsune he had missed so much but a sharp scent of anxiety hung in the air around him and he turned. Theo had paled beside him and definitely was not stepping forwards. 

 

 

 

Derek stood to the side of the cluster of people in black suits and dresses, watching. Isaac came to stand beside him. 

 

"You weren't a bad alpha you know." He said, by way of a greeting. 

 

Derek sighed loudly. "Is Stiles _ever_ gonna shut his damned mouth-" 

 

Isaac ignored this. "You weren't great at leading-" 

 

"Did Stiles teach you how to do these talks? Cause starting out with an insult really isn't-" 

 

"But you always protected us." 

 

Derek blinked. He had been watching the reunion with Kira but now his eyes froze on nothing in particular, his body unmoving. 

 

"Although for the record, next time you kick someone out to protect them perhaps you should tell then you're trying to protect them and not just being, you know-" 

 

"Being abusive?" Stiles supplied helpfully, appearing of out nowhere. Derek narrowed his eyes at him. 

 

"I was gonna say an asshole actually." Isaac said. 

 

"But if the shoe fits, right- ow! Dude! That does not support the whole not abusive case!" Stiles rubbed his arm where Derek had punched him. 

 

Isaac couldn't help but laugh, Derek's punch would have barely made a werewolf flinch but Stiles was swearing loudly as though Derek had smacked him with a sledgehammer. But Derek was smirking, they all knew how Stiles reacted to real pain, and wailing and clutching his arm wasn't it. 

 

"Anyway." Stiles straightened up. "We should sit down, they're about to start the service." 

 

The three walked back toward the crowd of people. Derek made a glance around for Liam, remembering what Scott had said to him before. He spotted him, leaning against Theo's truck. They were talking in solemn voices he couldn't quite pick out. 

 

"What's up?" Stiles chirped, noticing Derek had stopped. 

 

"I'm not sure." The older wolf replied, nodding at the two. 

 

Stiles followed his gaze to where Theo stood, apparently casually beside Liam but he could see how his heels dug into the ground when Liam made to urge him forward to join the rest of them. 

 

A quick glance around confirmed what Theo was afraid of. "It's the sword." Stiles said quickly. Derek turned to look at Kira, she was clipping the belt into place around her, smiling gratefully at Scott. He stood slightly awkwardly after handing it to her then she laughed and threw her arms around him. Derek watched the alpha laugh and hug her back before returning his eyes to Stiles. 

 

"How do you know?" 

 

Stiles' lip curled as he opened his mouth to speak. "Aside from the, you know, obvious underground childhood stuff, me and him were always annoyingly similar as kids. Scotty hated it, said it was like hanging out with two of the same person." Derek grimaced at the thought. "And- hey, the world would be lucky to have two of me- but if I'd been sent to hell and then everything that happened over the last two years happened to me then I see the person that sent me there again for the first time, I think I'd be scared of Kira too." 

 

"Who's scared of me?" A cheerful voice floated over to them, the owner smiled happily at them both, enveloping Stiles and then Derek and a warm embrace. 

 

Stepping back with a slight smile Stiles tilted his eyebrows to the truck. 

 

"Oh Wow, you weren't kidding about Theo being back, huh?" She breathed, staring at the chimera. 

 

"Unfortunately not." Malia grumbled, coming up beside her friend. 

 

"Kira, could you urr, lose the belt. Please?" Stiles whispered to her. 

 

"Huh? Oh right! Yeah, of course." She unclipped it quickly, glancing around for somewhere to stash it. 

 

Derek held his hand out and Kira handed it to him, turning back to where Theo was looking at Liam as Derek stuffed the belt inside his jacket. 

 

"Really? Since when have you been on his side?" Malia glared at Stiles. 

 

"Since he stopped being unnecessarily hostile to someone who no longer deserves it." Mason sidled up beside Kira, Corey beside him. "Hey Foxface, how was it on the dark side?" He grinned hugging Kira. 

 

"Urgh." She grimaced. "I've never been so glad to see Malia in my life. When she said I was needed back in Beacon Hills I didn't even hesitate." 

 

"You have to tell us everything." Mason said as a loud voice behind them asked everyone to be seated. 

 

They began to head towards the chairs, arranged orderly in rows facing the casket, the outside air was what Lydia had wanted. And the cemetery seemed to understand this, a gentle and sombre breeze touching everyone and lifting the banshee's hair enough to make her turn into the wind and smile. 

 

They were about to pick their way into the row of chairs where Scott was waiting with Melissa, Argent and Noah, when Kira whirled, black hair flying and she darted off. 

 

"Kira, what?" Scott called, seeing this. 

 

"Be right back." She shouted over her shoulder. 

 

Scott stared after her for a minute. 

 

"She's changed huh?" Malia said from beside him. 

 

"Yeah." Scott agreed but he smiled. Seeing Kira happy and bouncing around after the way he had seen her before she had gone to join the skinwalkers... it was good. 

 

 

Liam lifted his head up as Kira bounded up the them. Theo stiffened and stepped back, anxiety and fear rolling off him instantly. 

 

"Liam!" Kira hugged him and for a second Liam forgot about the memorial service and everything around them and laughed at the little kitsune around his neck. 

 

"It's so good to see you." He smiled at her and she grinned back before turning to the chimera. 

 

"Hey, Theo." 

 

"Hey." He said stiffly. 

 

"So, I don't know what's going on really, I've been told things but whatever. You're back and you're with us right?" It came out in a rush and she stumbled over more than one of the words. 

 

Theo nodded slowly. 

 

Kira breathed out and smiled. "Good, cause they seem pretty cool with you being here and obviously I trust Liam so-" 

 

Theo snorted, causing Liam to glare at him. Despite the situation apparently Theo would grab any opportunity he could to mock the beta beside him. He hadn't seemed to have been aware of it until Kira paused, seeing this. 

 

"So, welcome back." She finished, smiling. 

 

Theo stared, dumbstruck. Liam was about to kick him to make sure he was still awake when he cleared his throat. "Um, you too." 

 

Kira grinned and reached out to touch his arm, apparently his version of a hug, then hurried away to find her seat. 

 

Liam watched her join her parents and take a seat between them, both of them talking to her and smiling as if they could hardly believe she was there. That went for most of the pack actually but Liam allowed himself to smile. Maybe for once things could just be simple. 

 

"Come on." He said, relieved to see that Theo finally followed him away from the truck. "We should find my parents." 

 

 

*** 

 

 

Liam had been six when he saw his first dead body. He had been running through the hospital looking for his step-dad and had found him in a large ward of ten beds, the last one had had a large curtain around it, the sound of Dr. Geyer floating through it and alerting Liam to his whereabouts. Liam hadn't hesitated before barging through the curtain. His dad had spun around and scooped him up, marching him away immediately but not before Liam had seen the cold, grey body lying still and limp on the bed. Two nurses had quickly hurried to draw the curtains again after them but the still, sallow, face was something that would stay with him forever. 

 

Dead bodies had become something that Liam had grown unwillingly accustomed too. Both with his dad's work and especially since he met Scott. Consciously Liam hated it, hated his own body's casual reaction to seeing another one, empty and devoid of life, he somehow felt that a casual acceptance to dead bodies made the death itself more casual; something his step-dad had worked long and hard at to convince him that it was okay to feel like that and that no, it didn’t make him a bad person and that it was just a coping mechanism. 

 

For someone so accustomed to seeing the dead, Liam had been to surprisingly few funerals or memorials. A fact that Liam was quite grateful for, although, as he watched everyone stand and begin pick up their bags and coats, he realised that it hadn't been as horrible as he had expected it to be. The service itself had been nice- if a service can ever be nice. It had been calm and beautiful as though the weather too had taken seat to listen. There was no sign of anything supernatural- except the company of lycanthropes taking up half of the seats- but nothing that could be considered threatening which Liam considered a win. 

 

Lydia had smiled when she saw Theo and even Melissa had given him a less than murderous nod although her white knuckles in Argent's hand suggested that it took it a lot of willpower. 

 

There hadn't been many tears either. Many family members had stood to say something about Natalie. Lydia hadn't. But they had talked of happy times, the stories that made everyone laugh and smile while wiping their eyes. Instead of the heart-breaking reminder that she wasn’t there anymore, they had drawn out the happiest of memories and remembered why they had all loved her. 

 

Lydia had walked away with sad but dry eyes, Stiles' hand clasped in her own and she was leaning into him. As Liam watched her walk he saw Lydia jump and then dig a hand into the tiny bag she carried, emerging with her cell. She sidestepped away from the retreating guests to answer it alone. 

 

Liam frowned, she seemed to be asking the caller for something that could have been more time although it was difficult to make out through the loud hum of surrounding voices. She hung up then, looking unhappy, before smoothing her face over and re-joining Stiles. 

 

"Now what?" Liam asked stupidly. Most of the pack were clustered in the car park, they all seemed to be standing around as though unsure what to do with themselves. 

 

Malia rolled her eyes at Liam. "What usually happens now?" 

 

Liam shrugged, not hiding the fact that he had no idea. 

 

Stiles appeared, clapping him on the shoulder. "The drinks, little beta. The drinks!" 

 

"Everyone usually gets pretty drunk to celebrate that person's life." Scott explained. 

 

Liam frowned. "Someone they love dies and they throw a party?" 

 

"See, it's not just me that always thought that was weird." Kira said to her parents as they walked past. "I'm guessing you guys aren't going?" She said to the pack. 

 

"Pretty pointless, you know, the not being able to get drunk thing and all." Corey shrugged, leaning against a car. 

 

"Unless I consume all of the alcohol on behalf of all of you." Mason smiled at everyone smugly. 

 

"We decided no." Corey nudged him in mock-annoyance. "When you suggested doing the wolfsbane thing again-" 

 

"What wolfsbane thing again?" Scott raised his eyebrows suddenly and at once Mason, Corey and Liam immediately found very interesting places to look at far away in the distance, apparently all taking too much of their attention for any of them to answer Scott. Even Theo was smirking and refusing to meet Scott's eye. 

 

"So, Stiles-" Isaac voiced into the tense atmosphere, changing the subject, "If Lydia is going to the wake with the rest of the family, are you not supposed to be there?" 

 

"Lydia said it would be nice to just be with them, you know, she said so she can feel what it's like to be surrounded by her mom's family like it used to be." He shrugged. 

 

"Which is code for they still don't like you." Derek snorted. 

 

"No." Stiles said dramatically. "They haven't even properly met me yet, so they don't know how awesome I am." 

 

"They don’t like you." Malia said flatly. 

 

Stiles sighed. "Apparently, when Lydia was in Eichen House, Natalie had said something about how I had been part of Lydia's possession so now they all think I'm some greater demon or whatever." 

 

"Lydia being possessed?" Corey raised his eyebrows. "They believed that?" 

 

"Apparently they will believe anything. Well, anything except Natalie saying that I saved Lydia's life. They all seem to have a block on accepting that little one." Although his voice was light, the bitterness was still evident. 

 

"I feel like we should do something." Kira said suddenly. Her parents were getting into the car but Kira hadn't seemed to notice. "For Natalie." 

 

"I agree." Scott nodded. "I think I know what, as well. Theo, think you can give me a hand?" Scott was greeted by a shocked silence. Everyone stared, open mouthed but Scott just smiled. "You still wanted to have that talk too, right?" 

 

Theo's eyes were wary but he nodded, tight-lipped. 

 

Scott took a deep breath. "Okay. Mom and Argent drove here so-" 

 

"I'll drive." Theo offered. 

 

"Okay." Scott said again. Liam hid a smile and his anger at Scott dissipated. The alpha turned in the direction of Theo's truck. Theo went to follow him then glanced at Liam. He opened his mouth to say something. 

 

"I'll catch a lift with mom and dad." He said quickly. "See you later." 

 

"Yeah." Theo mumbled and unlocked his truck. 

 

Liam looked at the rest of the pack. Mason blew a steady column of air from his cheeks. "Anyone else think that was a bit weird?" He said before Corey elbowed him. 

 

Malia raised her hand instantly, blinking innocently when Liam glared at her. 

 

"Liam, I'm pretty sure your parents left already." Kira pointed out. 

 

"Yeah, I know." He hadn't actually known, he'd suspected but refrained from checking so his heartbeat had remained steady when telling Theo to go with Scott. 

 

Mason looked like he was about to offer him a lift when Melissa came up to them. "You need a lift home, Liam?" She smiled at them all warmly and Liam couldn’t help but smile back. 

 

"If that's okay?" 

 

"Why not, car already smells of wet dog." Argent grinned. "Just don't stick your head out of the window." 

 

Isaac rolled his eyes. "Next time I get stuck in the rain, I'm actually going to sleep in your car just to prove you right." 

 

Argent's answering laugh floated back to them as he and Melissa turned away to the find the car. 

 

"I should go too." Kira said, glancing at her parents in the car who looked like they were trying very hard not to shout at her to hurry up. 

 

"Don't worry, I'll get the plan out of Scotty and give you the lowdown." Stiles said, straightening up from the tree he was leaning against. 

 

"Okay." Kira grinned. "Bye guys." She and Malia hurried off to get into the car that had its engine running in the centre of the car park. 

 

"You ready to go kiddo?" Noah called across to Stiles from the Sheriff's car. 

 

Liam watched the pack and their parents slowly filter away. He mumbled a brief goodbye to them before he and Isaac went to climb into the car with Melissa and Argent.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again thank you to my small army of betas- you guys are the best <3


	8. Puppies and Packs

The car ride was awkward- but then what did he expect? He had tried to kill Melissa's son and even though she said she was over it he could tell she hadn't completely let go. Isaac seemed just as uncomfortable in the backseat across from him. He watched Beacon Hills fly past out the window and said nothing. Only Argent seemed relaxed as he flicked off the radio that had done nothing to ease the tension and regarded Liam in the rear-view mirror. 

 

"Liam, how was Tucson?" He asked conversationally. 

 

"Far away." Liam replied instantly. 

 

Argent chuckled. "I'm sure." The car quietened and the silence seemed to stretch. Then, "Trouble?" 

 

"Some." Liam said through a heavy breath. Feeling like he should say more, he added, "He took care of most of it before I got there but..." He let the end of the sentence drift. 

 

"Hunters?" 

 

"Monroe's." Liam confirmed. "They found out that Theo had been trailing them and tried to kill him." He bit off the end of the word, anger colouring his voice. Would they ever stop living in fear of the hunters? 

 

"What about Monroe?" It was Melissa's voice this time, the only one who didn’t try to hide the concern they were all feeling. 

 

"She's dead." Liam said bluntly. 

 

The acceptance seemed to hang in the car, as the instant relief that flooded them was immediately replaced with the weight of knowing that Monroe had been only one of a thousand other threats they were trying to outrun. 

 

"Theo's handiwork, I assume?" Argent said, keeping his eyes on the road. 

 

"Mm-hmm." 

 

Argent made a noise akin to something like approval that Liam ignored. "Word's going to spread." He grunted eventually. "He'll have to watch his back." 

 

"I don't think he ever stops watching his back." Liam murmured. 

 

"He knows that's what a pack is for, right?" Isaac voiced into the air, speaking for the first time. 

 

"He's urr-" Liam struggled, trying to find the right words to explain Theo. "He's not really so much of a pack animal." He settled on. 

 

Isaac nodded. "I know. Pretty sure that's got something to do with why he doesn't trust me." 

 

"He told you he doesn't trust you?" Liam turned his head to meet the other beta's blue eyes. 

 

"Right before he punched me." Isaac replied. 

 

Argent lost his focus on the road in favour of glancing up at Isaac in the mirror. "He punched you?" 

 

"Then Scott punched him." Liam added hastily, without realising he had even opened his mouth. 

 

" _Scott_ punched you?!" Melissa spun around to look in the back. 

 

"No-" 

 

"-Scott punched Theo." Isaac clarified before Liam had a chance. 

 

"Oh." Melissa turned back to the front of the car. "Okay." 

 

The air was beginning to feel tense again and Liam felt he should say something, something that wouldn't make the situation worse than it already was. "He lashes out when he doesn't trust people." He said quickly then paused, was he defending the son of a bitch? 

 

Isaac frowned at him. "That's not why he punched me." 

 

It was Liam's turn to frown. "Then why?" 

 

Isaac's eyes moved, he tilted his eyebrows at Liam's heart. Liam brought a hand up to rub the long-healed rip in his chest that Isaac had given him in the locker room. His mouth opened and closed a few times, wordlessly. "Oh." Was all he managed. Then he dropped his hand and looked away. 

 

"Are you hungry, Liam?" Melissa asked suddenly. 

 

Liam hesitated, wondering whether saying no just to escape back home would be rude. "A little." He admitted, Melissa's words reminding him just how ravenous he was. 

 

"Would you like to stay for lunch?" 

 

Liam couldn't help the sigh of relief at the olive branch she was extending. "Sure." He smiled. 

 

He could see her answering smile in her cheeks as she carried on facing forward. Liam glanced uncertainly at Isaac, but the other beta seemed quite happy and had apparently drifted into a place of his own thoughts. Liam relaxed slightly too and his mind drifted to his friends. He wondered how Lydia was doing with her family. He wondered if Scott was listening to Theo. He wondered if Mason had actually gone back and decided to get drunk by himself with Corey lovingly getting annoyed to high hell with him. Liam snorted at the last thought which was almost certainly exactly what was going on. 

 

 

*** 

 

 

Theo ducked as a bullet sailed above him, exactly where his face had been moments ago. 

 

"This?!" He yelled at Scott across the open space between them, deep in the heart of the forest. " _This_ was your great plan to talk?!" He snarled and swiped a clawed fist at a hunter that had apparently gotten cocky enough to try and attack Theo with a knife rather than bullets. He caught him full on in the face, hearing the man's nose break. "If you wanted me dead you could have just-" 

 

"I _don't_ want you dead!" Scott yelled back, irritation and impatience colouring his tone in a way that said he really didn't have the time to fight off a small trio of hunters _and_ argue with a formerly murderous chimera. "These guys however," He grimaced, "I wouldn't mind." He let go of the hunter that he had been in the process of choking. The man slumped to the ground, unconscious. 

 

"You know I can do that." Theo offered. Grabbing the third hunter's gun and yanking it away from him then using the butt of the gun to smack him around the face. 

 

"We don't do that, and you know it." Scott's tone was clipped. 

 

Theo growled, adrenaline giving him courage. "I killed someone." 

 

Scott didn't respond with a sarcastic quip about how Theo had killed more than one person, and that was just since Scott had known him. Instead he focused very hard on allowing his fangs to grow and eyes to glow at the hunter in front of him, stopping the man dead in his tracks. 

 

"Who?" He demanded. 

 

"Monroe." Theo's voice didn’t waver, he did not regret taking the woman's life. 

 

Scott was silent again. He retreated a few steps and allowed the hunter to pick up his fallen friend- at least they had some decency- the second hunter aimed his gun at Theo again but Scott roared, loud and dangerous, fangs itching to rip something. And all three men scarpered. 

 

"Good." He said eventually. 

 

"I know you- What?" Theo blinked, frowning. 

 

"I don't like it. I don't agree with it. But it's done." Theo was watching him warily, as though waiting for Scott to lull him into a false sense of security just to kill him later. Scott shook his head as though he could read Theo's thoughts. "She came after my pack, Theo. She tried to kill Liam, and that's..." He sighed and looked around the clearing. The hunters had disappeared, there was nothing and no trace that they had even been there- these guys might not have been good in a fight but they had known what they were doing. "I wouldn't have done it." Scott continued, pulling out his cell. "And some people like Monroe, the only way to stop them..." He looked at him then, eyes level and bleeding with the power of the alpha. "I'm not condoning it, but maybe it was meant to happen that you found her before I did." 

 

Theo said nothing. He looked away first, unable to hold the eye contact. 

 

Scott didn't say anything else. He turned away and lifted the phone to his ear. "Peter." He greeted the voice at the other end after a few seconds. "Three more, in the preserve." A beat while he listened. "No. They seemed thorough with their appearance and disappearance but they weren't prepared for the fight. Kinda like Liam when he was first turned, eager but clueless and stupid." Scott's lips twisted with the memory of his bitten beta dealing with the cycle of the moon on his new wolf. "Okay. Yeah." Scott hung up and turned back to Theo, gesturing for the chimera to follow him. 

 

He did. "I didn't realise you were trying to find Monroe as well." Theo said eventually as they climbed to the highest point in the preserve. 

 

"I wasn't trying to find her as much as just making sure she stayed away from Beacon Hills. I wasn't in a position to take off and track her down, I figured she would go into hiding and when she re-emerged she would come after us again so all there was to do was wait and be ready." His tone was casual and light as though he wasn't talking about the woman who had single-handed started a riot to end the life of all the supernatural creatures she could find. 

 

Theo nodded and they emerged onto the peak of the hill in silence. The sun was high and they were both sweating in the late afternoon heat. "What else?" Scott asked without looking at him, taking in the surroundings and analysing what they could use. 

 

"What else what?" Theo frowned. 

 

"What else did you find?" 

 

"Oh." Theo hesitated. "Um..." Scott was heaving a tree trunk away from the edge of the clearing and dragging it into the centre. "You need help or-?" 

 

"I need you to talk about what you discovered." Scott ground out through clenched teeth, satisfied that the log was in place he then began lifting it to try and stand it on it's end. 

 

Theo sighed. "Well, they don't seem to have a leader. This whole society of hunters seems to have gone freelance. As far as I can tell, they don't follow anyone, they don't really listen to anyone and they have no order whatsoever, they're much more dangerous than Gerard's army." His words were low and serious, as though afraid that being the one to bring the bad news would reflect badly on him. 

 

Scott countered this by puffing out his cheeks dismissively. "Explains the guys from earlier." He muttered. He stood back and leaned heavily on his knees, the log securely standing vertically. 

 

Scott straightened up. "Anything else?" 

 

Theo shrugged, "I stole some documents and paperwork." 

 

The alpha raised an eyebrow. 

 

"It's all in the truck." Theo added, feeling the need to explain more. 

 

Scott nodded with a soft turn of the lips. "Good work." 

 

Theo frowned bemusedly at the compliment then nodded awkwardly, moving to follow him out of the clearing. 

 

 

It took the two werewolves a few hours to prepare the clearing fully and it was beginning to get dark when Scott pulled out his phone to text the rest of the pack. 

 

“Would you mind picking up Mason and Corey?” Scott asked absently without looking up. 

 

“And why can’t Mason drive them himself?” Theo asked in an annoyance that Scott saw straight through. 

 

The alpha didn’t answer, and Theo huffed but turned around and began making his way back through the woods towards his truck. 

 

 

There was a very good reason as to why Mason couldn’t drive himself and Corey that became blindingly obvious the moment Corey opened his front door to his former alpha. 

 

“Hey, Theo!” Corey grinned, flinging back the door to welcome him inside with slightly too much force so that it bounced off the wall behind it and almost closed again. 

 

Theo paused, catching the door with one hand when it seemed Corey was unable to. “Are you drunk?” 

 

Corey giggled. “No way. Who gets drunk after a funeral? Pfft.” He swayed a little with the momentum of the door after swinging it closed. He watched Theo navigate through the empty house with ease, sauntering through the kitchen and turning right, straight up the stairs before Corey realised he had watched all of this standing still and scurried to catch up. 

 

“ _Theo!_ ” Mason announced, throwing his arms wide as if he had intended to hug the chimera before deciding that getting off the floor was too much effort so wide arms was the best greeting Theo was getting. 

 

Corey snorted at his boyfriend and ducked past Theo who had stopped in the entrance to his bedroom. He plonked himself down beside Mason, wiggling to get as close as he could before swiping up his glass and clinking it with Mason's beer bottle. The substance inside Corey's glass smelled foul and a small part of Corey's mind was glad that he was too drunk to fully absorb the taste of it. 

 

"Soooooo." Mason drawled, letting his lips off the bottle with a loud pop that made Corey giggle. "Whatsa plan, batman?" 

 

"A mercy killing before Scott gets his hands on either of you." 

 

"What was that?" Corey blinked up at him. 

 

"Nothing." Theo plucked Corey's drink from his hand and gave it an experimental sniff then grimaced slightly. "I regret teaching you about mixing wolfsbane into your drinks." 

 

"Actually, you were teaching Liam, Corey and I just happened to be there." Mason declared, sweeping his beer bottle through the air as if to decide the jury bench. 

 

Corey's eyes widened in alarm. "Liam!" He said to Mason, urging his boyfriend to understand the mental message with just a single word. 

 

Apparently, Mason did not. "Liam?" He frowned at Corey in confusion. 

 

" _Liam!_ " Corey insisted, as though that explained things fully. 

 

Mason's mouth dropped open in understanding. " _Oooh._ " Theo blinked at the pair blankly. " _LIAM!_ " Mason bellowed at the top of his lungs. Corey burst out laughing and fell forwards into the carpet to support himself as he cackled and coughed in equal measure. 

 

Theo winced at the harsh noise on his sensitive hearing. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" He growled. 

 

"He said Liam." Mason defended himself in an alarmingly high pitch. 

 

"Yes. I heard." Clipped. 

 

"As in 'Liam's here too'." Mason said innocently, feigning hurt at the sharp tone of the chimera. 

 

Corey spluttered with laughter. "Noooo." He said in between pants of giggles. "I meant, we need Liam to drink too!" 

 

"Oh." Mason clicked his mouth shut and actually had the propriety to look embarrassed for almost a full half-second before he was grinning with malice. "Yes!" He trained his eyes on Theo who had resignedly taken a seat on Corey's bed. "Where's Liam?" He demanded. 

 

Theo frowned at the exigent tone in the human's voice. "How should I know?" 

 

Mason turned to Corey. "Where's Liam?" 

 

"I don't know." Corey snickered and kissed Mason's cheek. Mason didn’t seem to notice and began hunting around for his phone. He gave a cry of triumph when he fished it out from under the bed, only to whine loudly when he tapped profusely at a black screen. Corey laughed again, a sound that quickly descended into squawking when Mason slapped Corey's thighs looking for his phone. Mason finally managed to shove Corey out of the way and swipe up his cell from under him. 

 

As Mason tried and failed to call his best friend at least three times, Corey waved his drink in front of Theo's nose. "Did you want some?" 

 

"Nah." Theo shook his head, wrinkling his nose at the smell. 

 

Corey could tell that the word was at least partly a lie but he didn't push it, the chimera was probably their designated driver anyway. He watched Theo roll his eyes and give a loud groan then snatch the cell from Mason's fingers and scroll through to Liam's name. He pressed call then returned the phone as Mason made grabby hands. 

 

"Hey, Mase-" 

 

"Duuuude." Mason sang down the line as soon as Liam picked up and Corey smiled, raising his glass to his lips again. "Where are you?" Mason all but shouted. 

 

"Urr... in my house?" Liam's voice sounded slightly concerned yet frankly, unsurprised, which made both Corey and Theo smirk. 

 

"Cool! Stay there!" Mason commanded and jumped to his feet. His frame wobbled dangerously where he stood and Theo's hand shot out to steady him. Mason glanced down at the hand on his elbow and tried to raise his arm. 

 

Theo, misunderstanding, dropped his arm and turned to glare back at the carpet as if it had personally affronted him. 

 

Mason dropped the thumbs up he had tried to give the chimera and looked at Corey. Corey buried his nose in his glass again. 

 

"What's going on?" Liam's voice drifted into the room. 

 

"Theo just saved my life." Mason said lightly through the phone. 

 

Theo's eyes disappeared into his hairline as he looked up. 

 

"He did what?" Liam sounded very confused and Corey would have felt sorry for him if he wasn’t still giggling into his glass. 

 

"Noo. You don't understand." Mason waved his hand as though Liam could see him. "I could've fallen, and I could've _died!_ Thank you." He added to Theo with a grin, which Theo responded to with a blank look and raised brows. 

 

Corey could practically hear Liam's eyeroll as the beta laughed. He lifted the glass but was dismayed to find it empty. 

 

"We're coming to get you!" Theo rolled his eyes at Mason's announcement and settled to watch Corey who had pulled a large mixing bowl out from under the bed. The bowl smelled of the vile wolfsbane cocktail and Corey was attempting to fill an empty water bottle with the mixture. 

 

Mason hung up and slung the cell back to Corey, narrowly missing the cocktail bowl. "Onward!" He ordered his comrades and proceeded to barge out of Corey's bedroom and stumble down the stairs. 

 

Corey screwed the lid on the drinks bottle tight, swiped up a mouthful into his own glass to gulp down then snatched up another beer bottle for Mason and followed Theo from the room. 

 

 

*** 

 

 

Liam was sitting at his computer desk, one leg propped up in front of him, staring at the blank screen in front of him. After being dropped off at home after lunch, Liam had gotten as far as making his way up to his room and sitting down to switch on the computer but before he had managed to do that, his phone had rung and a very drunk Mason had informed him that they were coming to get him. So, he really should have been prepared, his wolf senses on the lookout for the approaching blue pick-up truck, but he wasn’t. 

 

Liam jumped so hard he smashed his knee on the desk painfully when the car horn blared from the street. "Shit." He muttered, grabbing his coat and hoping he could escape the house before his mom came to question him. 

 

He almost made it but his mom caught him as he was opening the front door. "Liam, honey? Was that car for you?" She called from the kitchen. 

 

"Yeah, I'm going out again, see you later." And he shut the door behind him before his mom could ask him further. 

 

Clicking the door shut behind him, Liam looked up and saw Mason waving at him from the back of Theo's truck, Corey was grinning at him and Theo had an expression that made Liam believe he would rather be anywhere else in the world. Liam snorted, the chimera's face lifted his mood and he clambered into the truck. 

 

"So, what's Scott's plan? Where are we going?" The lightness in his tone was easy and apparently convincing. 

 

"Drinking. _Is_ the plan." Mason declared with a flourish as Corey dropped a bottle into Liam's lap. 

 

Liam eyed the contents. "You gave them wolfsbane again?" He said to Theo. 

 

"Excuse you. I am on strict ethanol alone. No dumbass herbs in my drink, thank you." Mason waved his beer bottle in the rear-view mirror for emphasis before raising it to his lips again. "Also-" He tried to say whilst drinking, which resulted in him spilling beer droplets down his chin. He wiped his mouth on his sleeve and continued. "Corey should be given full credit here, he remembered the cocktail and we mixed it up singlehandedly!" As though feeling he himself deserved special acknowledgement for this, Mason punched the air with his fist but ended up smacking the roof of the cabin instead. "Ow! Ow. Ow, ow, ow, ow-" 

 

"I don't think that's what singlehandedly-" Liam began. 

 

"You hurt my fucking car and you're dead." Theo snapped toward the back with a glare. 

 

"Your fucking car attacked me first!" Mason whined, allowing Corey to examine his hand. 

 

Theo ran his hand over the steering wheel and Liam was reminded of a dog owner whose pet had just tried to attack someone and the owner was secretly proud of it. Liam snorted at the image and unscrewed the cap on the bottle, taking a long drink of the liquid. He made a face at the taste and then looked up at the soft smirk on Theo's face that said he had caught the grimace. 

 

"Gonna tell me what your problem is?" Theo murmured, eyes refocusing on the road. 

 

"Nothing." Liam lied, his mouth blurting out the instant denial before his brain could decide if it was a good idea or not. 

 

Theo glanced at Liam's chest, hearing the uptick in the beat and scoffed. "Right." He said disbelievingly but dropped the subject. Apparently, the big bad murderous chimera could take a hint to mind his own business. 

 

Liam sighed dramatically and glared out of the window. He chewed his bottom lip and then gave in. He spared a quick glance in the mirror but Mason and Corey were busily engaged in conversation that still involved an examination of Mason's hand. Then, "Why don't you trust Isaac?" 

 

The words came out in a tumble and Liam was worried that Theo might not actually be able to understand where one word ended and another started. But the sharp glance from Theo proved that he had understood, and the two head jerks from the backseat proved that he wasn't the only one. 

 

"I just don't." Theo started hesitantly but the sharp way he cut off the final word was a threat to drop the subject. 

 

Liam ignored it. "Why?" 

 

Theo growled in annoyance. "I don't trust a lot of people." 

 

There was a grunt of agreement from the backseat but Liam didn't turn around. "No, you don't care enough to consider whether you trust most people-" 

 

"True. And then I go with my default, which is no." 

 

Mason declared a small wager against Liam but Liam refused to let his attention lapse from the chimera sitting beside him. Theo's tone was still coloured with annoyance but his cocksure arrogance was washing into his words now and Liam narrowed his eyes at the challenge. 

 

"But you actively decided not to trust Isaac. That takes effort." He countered and heard Corey say something that sounded like 'burn'. 

 

Theo shrugged, his shoulders remaining defensively high. "I just don't think he's- I don't think we can trust him." He tried then gave up and shrugged. Mason had apparently gotten bored and had gone back to talking to Corey, who swiped the bottle from Liam and took a long drink before dropping it back over the seat. 

 

Liam stared at the side of Theo's face, waiting. The chimera was tense and a muscle ticked in his jaw. Liam continued to stare. 

 

Theo broke. "Oh for fuck sake, Li-" He snapped. "He's not..." Liam waited while Theo sighed and then gave in fully. "I just don't get him. The guy was a beta, he had a pack and he chose to leave. He chose to become an omega. Who in their right mind would make a choice like that?" 

 

Liam shrugged, anger gone. "I would." Theo frowned at him, mouth open as though he wanted to argue only couldn't find the words. Liam glanced up at the road. "If I lost that one person, the person I loved. I'd probably leave." 

 

"You couldn't give up a pack because of one person." Theo said, voice full of juvenile judgement. 

 

"You know, a pack isn't everything." Liam said bitterly, drinking deeply from the bottle and willing the light-headedness to come. 

 

Theo snorted. "Yeah, spoken like someone who _has_ a pack." 

 

Mason's head darted back toward the front of the car. "What are you talking about, you're in a pack." He said bemusedly. 

 

"No, I'm not." Theo responded bluntly. 

 

Liam thought about Scott. His alpha really was making an effort with Theo but Theo was right, he was still on the outside. 

 

"Yeah." Mason argued, gesturing with his beer bottle. "You're in our pack." 

 

Theo glanced in the rear-view mirror. "What pack?" 

 

"This pack." Mason drew his arm in a circle, Liam ducked to avoid being clobbered by a glass bottle. "In this car." 

 

"Yeah, us four are a pack." Corey agreed suddenly, leaning forwards on the back of the front seats. 

 

Liam glanced at Theo. There was an amused tilt in the corner of his lips but apart from that the chimera was very still. 

 

"And I'm the alpha!" Mason proclaimed, holding his head high with an air of regality that he might actually have been able to pull off if he hadn't been too drunk to lose balance whilst sitting down and sway into the car door. 

 

Liam burst out laughing, both at Mason's antics and the absurdity of his judgement. He was beginning to feel the effects of the wolfsbane now and took another drink. "No way!" He argued as he swallowed, turning around in the seat to fully face him. "I am clearly the better alpha!" 

 

"I'm already the alpha, I named us four pack so I'm the alpha." Corey said quickly without pausing for breath. "And you can only become an alpha if you kill the current alpha and you can't kill me if you can't find me." With that, Corey melted into the seat behind Theo. 

 

Mason erupted with laughter and scrambled at the back of Liam's seat for balance, apparently inefficiently and Mason fell in heap in the backseat foot well. 

 

If it had been possible, Liam would have laughed even harder at this but he was already struggling to breathe through his choked laughter and he couldn’t see through the water in his eyes. He caught Theo's eye and was pleased to see the chimera was laughing too. 

 

Liam couldn't remember the last time he had seen Theo really laugh like this and he was struck by how natural and at ease his face looked when it was twisted with laughter, mask long forgotten. 

 

As soon as Liam could breathe properly he turned to narrow his eyes at the space that was Corey until the werechameleon reappeared, grinning smugly. "Dude, I'm an alpha in training, okay? _And_ I'm the only one here who's actually a freaking werewolf!" 

 

"Discrimination." Mason muttered sulkily. 

 

"Pretty sure I'm the one with alpha experience here." Theo said loudly, cutting across Liam, who immediately reopened his mouth to say something- 

 

"Yeah and we're not talking about _that_ Mr. Murders-his-own-pack!" 

 

Liam's mouth dropped open and he turned to stare at Corey who looked equally shocked, as though he hadn't even been aware of the words coming out of his mouth. Mason was biting both lips between his teeth so hard, Liam could see the skin bruising. And it still did little to keep the hiccupping splutter from tumbling out of Mason's mouth. Liam's eyes darted to Theo. 

 

"You're still breathing, aren't you?" He snarled into the mirror. "I could fix that for you." 

 

"Oh please, like you could even kill anyone anymore." Mason waved his now empty bottle dismissively as if the idea were completely nonsensical. 

 

Liam raised an eyebrow at how completely unaffected Mason was by the vehemence in Theo's tone and turned his raised eyebrow on the chimera, coupling it with a smirk that had Theo narrowing his eyes at him. 

 

"The hell does that mean?" The chimera growled. 

 

"You literally have pieces of fir tree in your hair and a fluffy red blanket hidden under your seat, you-" 

 

"Fuck you." Theo snapped. 

 

Liam watched the chimera tense again but ignored it and turned back to his best friend. "Mase, he killed Monroe." 

 

The car went quiet for a minute before Corey let out a low whistle. "… Shit. That's intense." 

 

"Corey!" Mason complained at his boyfriend. "That's my fucking word!" 

 

Corey ignored him, looking at the back of Theo's head with a "Yeah, he can be the alpha." 

 

Theo snorted and looked at Liam smugly. 

 

Liam let out a sigh of exasperation and thumped back against the door, flipping Theo off and earning a low laugh in return. 

 

After a few minutes, Mason and Corey began whispering and Liam rolled his eyes and settled for watching the road go by. After a minute however, he realised that Corey had disappeared again. 

 

"Wha-" 

 

Suddenly the radio blasted into life at full volume and both Liam and Theo jumped while Mason cackled with laughter and Corey materialised back in his seat grinning. 

 

"I swear to God, I will drop you out of this car and run you both over." Theo threatened loudly but the danger expired less than a minute later when he turned off the road and rolled the truck to a stop at the edge of the preserve. 

 

 

Liam wasn't surprised to see most of the pack already there. His eyes scanned around, taking everyone in. Kira and Lydia were sitting on the hood of Stiles' jeep, looking out over the town. Malia and Stiles looked like they were attempting to add to a ferocious pile of logs and wood in the centre of the clearing but in reality, was resulting in a sword fight with large branches. Liam eyed the pile of wood, it was huge, taller than most of the trees and soaking wet with something that smelt very bad and a lot like gasoline. 

 

"Are we arsonists now?" Mason grinned at Corey who returned his look with an excited one of his own. 

 

"No." Peter sauntered across the clearing, carrying another container of gas. "But I am." 

 

Scott was crossing the forest floor towards them and he plucked the container from Peter's hands swiftly. "I think we have enough." 

 

"Pyrolunatic." Stiles muttered, finally dropping the stick and moving over to join Lydia. 

 

"Pretty sure the word is pyromaniac." The redhead raised an eyebrow at him softly. 

 

"Pyrolunatic." Stiles repeated, kissing her. 

 

Scott's plan quickly became apparent now that everyone had arrived. Liam stood with Scott, Isaac, Kira and Peter near the rocky outpost. Lydia stood with Stiles, Mason, and Corey by the giant pyre, all with large sticks in their hands ready to set the creation alight. Derek slid off into the trees and Liam was about to voice his confusion as to what he was doing when he saw Malia grab Theo and tug him into the trees as well. 

 

Liam turned to frown at Scott but Isaac grinned. "Just wait." 

 

Liam clicked his mouth shut and waited. He was trying to like the other beta and he knew that Isaac's voice was only to stop Liam being concerned which did work, but he couldn't help wondering why Isaac was in on this plan and he wasn't. 

 

"Ready to alarm all of the residents of Beacon Hills?" Peter smirked down at the twinkling lights below. 

 

"We won't scare anyone." Liam caught Stiles' eye roll. "Dad knows what's going on tonight." 

 

Peter looked sulky. "Derek." He whined into the trees. "You promised me a chance to scare the locals!" 

 

"You didn't have to come, Peter!" Malia yelled back before Derek had a chance. 

 

"He said _fire._ " Peter protested back in a childish voice. "I came for the fire!" 

 

Liam caught Stiles' eyes. "Pyrolunatic." They snorted in unison. 

 

The full moon began to creep out from behind the clouds and the entire preserve was bathed in a silvery gleam. Liam sucked in a deep breath, feeling the pull and bending towards it. 

 

After an apparent cue that Liam missed, Scott stepped up the cliff edge. Without being told, Liam stepped up beside him. Kira then stepped forward on Scott's other side, Isaac took up the position beside Liam, and Peter beside Kira. 

 

The energy of the full moon was pulsing through him and Liam waited. After only a few seconds the bushes beside them broke apart and a beautiful, grey and tan coyote sprang into the open space, tongue lolling. 

 

Malia pushed herself between Scott and Kira and leaned happily against her alpha's leg. 

 

Liam looked back at the bushes and saw two large shaggy wolves trot out. 

 

Liam couldn't help but stare. Both beasts had fur as black as night. The first was slightly bigger than the second and he came to stand beside Peter, huffing lowly. The second looked younger, smaller and deep green eyes set in the black face that Liam recognised. 

 

Liam couldn't help the soft guff of breath that he breathed out upon seeing Theo in wolf form. He had to admit it, the chimera looked incredible. Theo's eyes met his with an arrogance that seemed to say that he knew exactly how stunning he was. 

 

Liam rolled his eyes and looked away, watching Stiles pull out a lighter and hold it to the piece of wood he had clutched in his fist. Something large and warmed bumped against Liam's leg and he took a step back to steady himself then narrowed his eyes at Theo. The chimera snorted and stood proudly on the cliff edge beside him. The black waves of his fur were mesmerizing and Liam wanted to know if it felt as soft as it looked. 

 

Theo jerked his head around when Liam's fingers slid through the fur. Liam stilled his hand but Theo relaxed and blinked lazily at him, a permission. 

 

The fur was softer than it looked, Liam had imagined that it would feel coarse and thick and the small debris of forest would come away in his fingers but his fingertips were met with fur as soft as silk. He brushed his hand against the direction of the rolling black canvas and bunched it through his knuckles. Theo made a soft sound of contentment and Liam smirked at him. 

 

Theo's eyes darted away from him and he shifted his shaggy black form away from Liam's leg. 

 

Scott was watching Stiles, Lydia, Mason, and Corey light up their flames. They looked at the alpha and Scott grinned at his pack. His eyes settled on Liam as he allowed his fangs and eyes to emerge, in sync with Liam, Isaac and Peter. Liam watched Kira smile and then her own eyes began to shine and a soft glow that in some light seemed to resemble the outline of a fox illuminated her. 

 

Lydia threw her flame into the pyre, following by Stiles, Mason and Corey and the entire thing erupted into a rush of flames, ferociously hot and roaring. 

 

Scott didn’t hesitate. The second the flames touched the pyre he let out a roar of his own. Full of alpha power and enhanced by the lunar light surrounding them. 

 

Liam roared with him, his voice adding to the cry already in the night air and he felt the energy thrum within him, stronger than a normal beta power should be. He turned his attention to it and his cry became stronger still. 

 

Isaac and Peter roared too, deep and fierce. Kira howled, higher than the rest and sparking as the glow around her body vibrated. Theo, Derek, and Malia howled with them. The pack cry echoed throughout the night and the very ground beneath them shook with the majesty of it. 

 

When Liam finally ran out of breath and stopped, panting, he heard something else. 

 

Scott seemed to have heard it because he paused to listen as well. 

 

Somewhere far away, a pack was answering them. 

 

Another pack somewhere outside of Beacon Hills was hearing their call and was responding to them with a collective howl of their own. 

 

Liam looked at Scott and saw his alpha's eyes sparkle with excitement. Then they both roared again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so so sorry this took so long. There was so much to write, I intended for it to be like the same length as the other chapters but it just didn't stop!   
> Hope you guys like it!


	9. Once a puppy

Lydia stepped through the threshold to her bedroom and let the door fall closed behind her, sighing gratefully into the solace of her own space. The big room was empty and dark, despite the sunlight trying to seep in through the closed curtains. It felt cold. And unfamiliar. The whole house did. She had spent most of her life in this house, it had always been home, her home, her space. But now she knew it wasn't. It had never been hers. It had been her mom's. And now with Natalie gone, the house seemed to have lost itself. 

 

_It's yours now._ A voice that sounded alarmingly like her mother's reminded her mentally. And it was true, everything had been left to Lydia. Not that she wanted any of it, it felt like a sick joke, some poor trinkets after losing her rock, her superhero. 

 

She dropped her bag and collapsed onto the unmade bed in front of her. Slowly she allowed her eyes to droop closed. 

 

A shrill tone jangled through the air, making Lydia jumped. She snatched up her purse and riffled through it for her cell. 

 

"Hi, Dad." 

 

Mr. Martin's voice was sharp as stern as it had always been. Today Lydia didn't mind, she knew the compassion was there, albeit deep down. Her father had stayed in Beacon Hills for almost a fortnight after the funeral but even with his presence, the house had still felt empty. 

 

"I've been thinking-" 

 

"Dad, no. I really don't want-" Perhaps it was childish for her to stick her head in the sand and ignore her problems until they went away, perhaps it was stupid and reckless but it felt good. Pretending her problems didn't exist had granted Lydia the escape she was craving. And she wasn't ready to face reality yet. 

 

"Lydia." Her father tried again, the voice of reason she had always managed to outsmart. "You need to sell the house. There is no other option." 

 

"I am not selling Mom's house." She replied, impressing herself with the strength in her voice. 

 

"It's not Mom's house anymore, it's yours. And you can't afford it." The emotionless tone replied. 

 

Her Mom had had insurance and her Dad had taken care of everything since the death but here Lydia was, faced with the inevitable. The money had run out and there was no one to help her fix it. 

 

"Dad." She began, realising she had no counterargument and only a boatload of anger at him for removing her from her the blissful escape of denial. 

 

"Lydia, you have to-" 

 

"I don't have to do anything, Dad. You have to give me space." She snapped and clicked the phone off. A small part of her did feel bad for snapping at him, but another part felt satisfaction. Her father had been absent for more of her life than he had been around, and now, although she wasn't happy to admit it, she needed him. And his help still had limits. She knew he could help her more than he was, but he had another life, away from Beacon Hills. One that Lydia had never stepped foot in. 

 

The sound of the front door slamming pulled Lydia from the whirlpool of thoughts she was cascading down. She pulled herself to her feet and walked out onto the landing to peer over the banister. Then she grinned, her face parting into a wide smile that was rare these days and felt all the better now it wasn't forced. 

 

Malia stood in the hallway, her hair was long now, splaying across her chest untidily as though she had forgotten that such things needed brushing. It was lighter too, the summer months had bleached it to a beautiful ash blond, not that Malia seemed to have even noticed. 

 

Beside her stood the short kitsune, smiling up at Lydia. "Get your stuff, we're going shopping." Kira said in a happy tone. No one would ever believe that this girl had spent a year in the underworld. 

 

"But-" 

 

"No." Malia cut her off with growl and a grin that made Lydia think could be terrifying if she chose to be. "We are going shopping. Let's go!" 

 

Lydia smiled, she didn’t want to refuse, her friends had been there every single second for her and an eternity wouldn't give her enough time to say thank you enough. 

 

She grabbed her bag and hurried down the stairs. 

 

 

*** 

 

 

Liam stared at the arrangement of signs and symbols on the page in front of him, willing them to form something that resembled decipherable equations. School had started back up two weeks ago and he had already let himself get swamped by work. He had neglected studying in favour of more lacrosse practice, not that he needed it – at least not in the sense that Coach would consider, but Liam needed it for another reason. The pressing threat of the hunters against the supernatural and adjustment back to normal life was taking its toll on the young beta and he found himself walking towards the practice field alone almost every day, just to get his head back into something safe and familiar. 

 

A sigh he knew all too well sounded from across the library table and Mason shoved his own book under Liam's nose. "It's really not even that hard, dude." 

 

Liam groaned and buried his face in his open book. "I know." The words came out muffled by the paper and he wrapped his arms around his head with a whine before straightening back up with apparent renewed confidence. He stared at the numbers again, then glanced in Mason's book. "Mase, this first one, did you-" 

 

Liam's phone jumped to life with a high-pitched ring that made the other students in the library glance up in annoyance. He looked at the screen. It was Scott. 

 

"Hey, Scott." He answered quickly, feigning the enthusiasm of a beta who was definitely not failing at math. 

 

"Hey, Liam." 

 

The alpha sounded hesitant in a way that would have worried Liam a year ago, now it only vaguely concerned him, he had his own problems to deal with right now. "What's up?" 

 

"Nothing really. It's been quiet for a couple of weeks and Peter's getting suspicious." The older werewolf replied calmly. 

 

"When isn't Peter suspicious?" Scott had a very dubious relationship with Peter but a crazy old ex-murderer's heebie-jeebies wasn’t enough to make them raise their defences- usually. "Are you suspicious?" 

 

"Perhaps. After everything Theo told us and then the rogue hunters showing up that night. Pretty sure there's something else in Beacon Hills besides hunters that decided to go off on their own." 

 

Liam knew that Scott's words were only speculation but it didn't stop the chills from dancing down his spine. 

 

"So, did you want to check out the preserve or-?" 

 

"I think so, just one sweep. Should be enough to tell us if there has been any movement recently or not." Liam wished the certainty in Scott's voice could reassure him. 

 

"Okay. With the whole pack?" 

 

"You and me should be enough." Liam frowned. It would be the first time he had been alone with Scott for weeks. 

 

"Okay, sure. Can you uh-" 

 

"Pick you up? Of course, I'll bring my bike. I figured you might want to take it for a ride again. You haven't touched it since Arizona." Some lingering shame about the bike theft Liam didn’t realise he had been carrying lifted at the lightness in Scott's tone. 

 

"I thought you were still mad about that." He mumbled sheepishly. 

 

"Nah, you looked after her pretty well. So, shall I pick you up after school, like six?" He said. 

 

"Six? I could go home before-" 

 

"Or you could stay in school and study." Scott's voice was stern and Liam grumbled. 

 

"Fine." He sulked. 

 

"Good. See you later." He said cheerfully then hung up. 

 

"Are you grounded?" Mason grinned at him while Liam shot a quick text off to his mom to say that he wouldn't be home for dinner. 

 

"Apparently." 

 

"It's only been a couple weeks, there's hardly anything to catch up on." Corey said reassuringly. "We'll stay with you." 

 

Mason swept a wide-eyed gaze to his boyfriend. "We will?" 

 

Corey ducked in to press a quick kiss to Mason's lips and Liam snorted at Mason who kept narrowed eyes on Corey the whole time, making him giggle. 

 

"Thanks guys." Liam said with a half-hearted twist of his lips then tried to bury his nose back in Mason's notes. 

 

The time passed quickly and, although he was loath to admit it, with Mason and Corey's company it wasn't as torturous as he had thought. The hours had slid by and somehow Corey had managed to keep Liam and Mason focused enough to finish even the math work. 

 

 

Liam groaned loudly and dropped the Ancient History book back onto the table with a thud. "At least that's one subject I know I won't fail." He could get through the rest of his life being good at two subjects, right? 

 

Thankfully he was saved from continuing down the depressing thought trail of his future by the familiar sound of Scott's motorcycle. A small childish thrill of excitement rumbled through him and he swept his books into his backpack. "See you guys tomorrow." He said, ignoring Mason's grumble at his speedy exit and Corey's eye roll. 

 

The sight of the large black bike made him grin as soon as he pushed the doors open and he heard Scott's snort of laughter. Liam didn't respond to it, the whole pack knew that Scott's attachment to his own bike was unhealthy so any affection Liam felt towards it, Scott could kindly keep quiet about. 

 

"Here." Liam caught the helmet Scott slung at him with one hand. 

 

Liam settled comfortably in the familiar position and Scott swung himself on behind, his hands gripping the metal bars behind him. 

 

"Ready?" Scott asked after a moment. He wasn't checking to see if Liam was actually ready, they both knew he was. He was voicing something that didn't make sense to humans but did to wolves. Presence. It wasn't needed, it was just there. Liam grinned and twisted heavily on the throttle, the bike roared to life. 

 

The rush of the wind speeding across his exposed neck and shooting up his sleeves was the first thing Liam noticed when he pulled onto the main road and opened the gas. The air felt colder when he breathed it in and mixed with so many scents rushing past him as once. Scott sat behind him comfortably and after a moment Liam twisted the throttle and the engine beneath him roared. This was what had felt so good about Arizona, just the freedom, the power beneath him, the wind. In a way it felt a lot like the wolf within, the power and the desperation to charge into the mountains and to be free. Was being free even an option for him? He still had to sit finals before the summer, _scratch that, I have to pass the finals before summer._ He needed to finish the college applications he had told his parents and Mason that he had already sent off. The idea of college didn’t excite him as it once had. When he had transferred from Devonford Prep and started at Beacon Hills High, all he had been able to think about was getting through until he could escape to college, leave behind this place, this state even. College had been his escape. Now he didn’t see it like that so much, now college was just another prison, more walls, more rules, more responsibility. 

 

Liam pushed his visor up and allowed the cool air to wash against his face as they sped down the road. He remembered how good it had felt in Arizona. Admittedly, he had been tracking down an asshole and grumbling about him the whole journey, but the freedom of being able to just take off like that and the elation of chasing the mountains through the deserts was- 

 

"Liam." 

 

His alpha's voice cut through his thoughts and Liam blinked his mind back to reality. 

 

"Right, sorry." He slowed the bike and took the next turning towards the preserve. 

 

 

The forest was cooling with the soft heavy air that comes before a storm. Night was drawing in and the nightlife of the preserve was stirring. Liam loved the feel of the forest at night and for the thousandth time found himself being envious of Theo and his ability to do a full shift. 

 

"So, is there a reason for us to be patrolling right now?" Liam asked when they had been hunting through the forest for an hour. "I thought Peter said all the hunters we've seen recently have been rogue?" 

 

Scott took a deep breath. "He did. He's leaving next week to do some more work with his bases. Rogue hunters shouldn't be able to get by under the radar." 

 

Liam growled in agreement, he knew very little about the network Peter had set up, but he did know it was supposed to prevent attacks such as the one on Scott and Theo a couple of weeks ago. "How do you think they're doing it?" 

 

"I don't want to suggest that they have inside help..." Scott allowed his voice to trail off and Liam bristled instantly. 

 

"You don't mean Theo." It was a warning more than a question, daring his alpha to suspect his friend. 

 

Scott raised an eyebrow at the attack in Liam's voice. Liam lowered his eyes. 

 

"No. I don't think it's Theo." Scott said at last. "Derek and I think there are still some of Monroe's army in Beacon Hills. I was wondering if you could speak to him and-" 

 

"Nope." 

 

"Liam. Calm down, I'm not accusing him, I want to know if he knows anyone that it could be." Scott said in annoyance as he resumed walking again, expecting Liam to follow. 

 

"Oh." Liam mumbled, feeling stupid. He picked up the pace to catch up with Scott. "I'll talk to him." He added lamely, trying to find a way to sound more like a responsible beta and less like an aggressive kid with anger issues. 

 

"Thank you." Scott took a deep breath. "There's one other thing I wanted to talk to you about." 

 

Liam grunted, eyeing the trees around him. "What's that?" 

 

"Isaac." 

 

"Oh." Liam said for the second time. And then, because he couldn't think of anything else to say, "Is he staying?" 

 

"Yes, he's staying. He has nowhere else and I need him." 

 

"Am I not enough?" Liam asked bitterly, he didn’t bother trying to hide the sulkiness in his tone because hiding it meant living with it and he would rather have it out with Scott than suffer in silence. Part of him felt bad, Liam did actually like Isaac, much as he wished he didn’t. And he knew Isaac had come here seeking refuge, he also knew it was a thoroughly canine jealousy mixed with his ridiculous anger problems that bubbled up into a childish vendetta again the other beta but that still didn't make it any easier. 

 

"Not anymore." 

 

"Oh." Liam forced the noise out of him. His breathing was steady and his heartbeat hadn't spiked but his mind was beginning to turn the words over. Did Scott just say no? Had he done something wrong? Was it because he had gone to Arizona? Was his anger too much for a werewolf, like Scott has suspected in the beginning? Liam felt wetness prickle in his vision and he curled his lip at how pathetic he was being. _What had he done wrong?_ "Is this because of Theo?" Liam needed to talk. If he didn’t he might cry. _And you're far too old for crying,_ a voice that sounded very much like his real dad reminded him. 

 

"What?" Scott looked up. 

 

"Because I made the decision to bring him back?" Liam knew the pack had had an issue with it, he knew it, even though some of them had tried to hide it. 

 

"No-" 

 

"Because he's staying." Liam lifted his chin defiantly as if would argue with Theo himself over the matter. 

 

Scott sighed. "That's why." 

 

A beat. "So, it _is_ Theo?" 

 

"What? No- It's because you made that decision. Noshiko said he was your responsibility and you- you fought me on sending him back to Hell, you trusted him to do that damned plan at the zoo. You went to Arizona to get him-" 

 

Liam ground his teeth. "So that's your problem-" 

 

"Liam, shut up." Scott snapped loudly. Liam let his mouth fall closed with a click. Scott took in a deep breath. "Liam, Isaac was born to be a beta, he's kind, he's loyal, he's fierce and he would do anything for me and mine. You..." He paused but Liam didn't interrupt. "You were born to be an alpha." Liam blinked. "You're powerful, and strong, and deadly and _human_. Liam, you're _so_ human. You fight so hard for someone the rest of us would have sooner seen back in Hellfire, not because he deserves it but because you can't _not_. Because that's just who you are. And soon you will be the best alpha there is." 

 

"You're wrong." Liam said eventually, his voice croaking from disuse. Scott frowned at him. "I'm not like you. I couldn't ever be a true alpha." 

 

"Why?" 

 

"I think... If it came down to a choice, I could kill someone." Liam admitted a little sadly. He had realised a few weeks ago when he had been unable to get the image of Monroe being slaughtered at the hands of an all too familiar chimera. 

 

"Are you sure?" Scott asked in a voice that sounded far too understanding, considering Liam had just confessed that he would be a willing murderer. 

 

"No." 

 

"Well then." As though that settled the matter. 

 

"But I'm not sure that I _wouldn't_ , and you always were, and I don't have that." He said hurriedly. Why was he arguing that he was the bad guy? 

 

Scott stopped and looked at Liam, waiting for the beta to meet is eyes. "That is how I know that you will be a better alpha than me." 

 

With that he turned and disappeared into the shadows. 

 

Liam stared dumbly after him. "Wait, what?" 

 

*** 

 

The moon was high when the two werewolves finally decided they had done enough patrolling for one night. They had found nothing that was particularly interesting with the exception of a fox that Liam had insisted on sneaking up on and then chasing, which Scott had pointed out did nothing to dissuade his I-am-not-the-pack-puppy argument. There was no sign of anything unusual and neither Scott nor Liam had brought up anything about the conversation they had had when they arrived, so Liam was left alone to chase the thoughts around his head in silence. 

 

A silence that was broken by a loud shrill ringing that blasted from Scott's pocket. Scott frowned at the screen before answering, it was past midnight, and the surprise showed in his voice. 

 

"Stiles?" 

 

"Hey, buddy. There's something going on at the school." Liam could hear the excitement in the human's voice. 

 

"Something, meaning what, exactly?" Scott said slowly. 

 

"Some kind of break in, I'm not sure exactly, dad cut me off from the radio again." 

 

Scott snorted, "It's probably nothing, Stiles. Just another homeless person or something." 

 

"Come on, Scotty, I'm bored!" Stiles whined. 

 

Scott raised his eyebrows at Liam, who snorted in consent. "Fine." The alpha relented, with a boyish grin. "See you in five." 

 

Liam didn't fight Scott when he insisted on driving back to the school. There would be deputies everywhere and Liam for one had no interest in having another reason to stop him graduating. 

 

Scott had barely drawn the bike to a stop beside the jeep when Stiles jumped out to greet them. "So, all I got was those security alarms - you know the ones Parrish had installed last year at the entrances?" Scott nodded. "Something set them off and there was a janitor that was finishing up in the parking lot that said he saw a person in the boys' locker room." He finished proudly and Liam identified with a swift smirk just how much Stiles was enjoying this. 

 

Apparently, Scott had noticed too. "Locker room it is then. Your dad isn't here?" 

 

Liam looked around the empty school. The alarms had been silenced, and the bright red light that still flashed on the front of the main building was the only thing to suggest there had been anything unusual happen here at all. There was a very distinct absence of Sherriff cars and loud authoritative voices. 

 

Stiles shrugged. "They're on their way, apparently they think it's just another homeless person and, hey don't look at me like that, how many times in this town has something _ever_ been as simple as a homeless person?" 

 

Liam had been smiling but he had to admit that Stiles did have a point and looked at Scott. 

 

Scott caught the look and groaned. "Fine. Let's go." But he was smiling as he said it. 

 

The three picked their way around the outside of the buildings to an old rusted window, that Liam was certain was only held together by cobwebs. Scott and Stiles didn't hesitate and slipped inside with practiced ease. Liam felt a small thrill rush inside him at the realisation that there was something other than normal mundane life finally happening. He slammed a lid on that thought straight away however, he knew how dumb it was to pray for excitement in a place like Beacon Hills. Stiles was still holding the window open and Liam scrambled onto the ledge. 

 

"Hey, do you think-" Liam's foot gave way the second he put his weight on the inside window sill and he plummeted to the concrete ground of the locker room with a thud. 

 

Stiles spluttered with laughter and had to be punched by Scott to actually shut up and Liam found himself being very glad that neither Mason or Theo had seen that, not that he had any chance of Stiles letting him live it down. He groaned and rolled onto all fours to straighten himself. 

 

A familiar snort made him look up, a familiar snort that definitely _didn’t_ sound like Scott or Stiles. The door to the locker room was wide open, and fell closed the second his eyes landed on it. Liam frowned but there was no one there. He gave the air an experimental sniff but all he could smell was the stench of the changing room and the very sharp scent of body spray that was painful on his heightened sense of smell. He glanced up at Scott who was frowning as though he too had noticed something, but just as Liam was about to say something, Scott moved off into the centre of the room. 

 

"You find anything, Scotty?" Stiles said loudly, making his voice echo in the cold dark space. 

 

"I'm not sure." Scott replied carefully. "There definitely was but-" 

 

"Well of course there was, it's a school buddy." 

 

Scott looked up to shoot Stiles a look that made the human snicker, but Liam had stopped listening. He made his way to the door and peered out into the dark corridor. Sure enough, his eyes were met with the sight of a normal empty school hallway. The familiar sound of approaching sirens floated through his ears but he didn’t react. He was sure there was something here. "I'm going to have a look around." He murmured absently, knowing the alpha would hear him. 

 

"Liam, be carefu-" 

 

The door swung closed. The beta surveyed the corridor for only a second before starting off in the direction of the lunch hall. If Scott asked him why he had chosen that way, Liam honestly wouldn't have known what to tell him. He just kind of felt like it? Perhaps logic was telling him that if it was a hobo they would go in search of food? A childishly nosey part of him wanted to see the lunch ladies' secret lair? He had no idea why, but as he quickened his step he felt like he was going in the right direction. 

 

The hairs on the back of Liam's neck prickled as he walked but although he tried again to reach out with his senses, he came up empty. This wasn't possible, what could disguise itself against even werewolves? Confusion bled into anger and Liam felt his eyes glow as he broke into a run. 

 

The doors to the kitchens banged loudly when he threw them wide but Liam didn't care. His eyes took in the scene around him and he felt smug and disappointed in equal measure. Whatever was around tonight had definitely been here but it was long gone by now. 

 

The scent of food was thick in the air and there was a small stash of empty packets and cartons on top of the bins in the corner. Liam walked farther into the room, trying to catch a scent of anything even remotely familiar. He stopped so suddenly his shoe made a loud squeak on the tiled floor. There. That scent. One that he knew all too well- 

 

A door thudded in its frame making Liam jump. It was the door to the lunch hall from the parking lot. There wasn't a single door in this place he didn’t know the sound of and he lurched after it without even thinking about what the parking lot could mean. 

 

As it turned out, the parking lot meant police cars and deputies and a whole lot of flashing lights that hit Liam's golden eyes like a bullet. A harsh curse sprang to his lips but before it was fully formed a rough hand grabbed his bicep and yanked him away from the doors. It didn't let go until it had pulled him around the corner and away from the eyes of Beacon Hills deputies. The all too familiar scent washed over him and Liam tried to splutter out a protest at being manhandled. He was still looking back at the scene in the parking lot when a hand clapped around the side of his face and turned his head away. 

 

"What the fuck-" 

 

"Are you _trying_ to freak the shit out of everyone?!" Theo snapped angrily, dropping his hand from Liam's face. "Put your eyes away you idiot." 

 

Liam did but not without a glare at the chimera. "What the fuck are you doing here?" He finished his attempt at the sentence. 

 

"Making sure you don't scare the entire Beacon Hills Sherriff's department, apparently." The older wolf snorted. 

 

"Shut up. I didn't know they would be there." 

 

"Um..." Theo raised his eyebrows at the flashing lights and gave the air a sniff accompanied with a very pointed look that clearly said that if Theo could smell the cars then Liam should have done. 

 

"I was distracted, okay?" The beta growled. 

 

"By what exactly?" 

 

"By-" Liam paused, remembering what it was that had distracted him. "What the fuck was _your_ scent doing in the school kitchens?!" 

 

"I was looking for you, dumbass." Theo snapped back without missing a beat. 

 

Liam frowned, not believing him. "Why?" 

 

Theo was saved from answering apparently the only question he didn't have an answer ready for by Scott and Stiles appearing from the other direction. Much too loudly, and far more obvious than his own eyes had been, in Liam's opinion. 

 

"Liam, what-" 

 

"What's he doing here?" Stiles panted as soon as they came to a stop beside them. 

 

Liam was about to open to his mouth to say that was wondering the same thing and force Theo to answer when Theo beat him to it. 

 

"Saving Liam from wolfing out in front of your dad and his men." He said quickly. 

 

"Are you fucking kidding me." Liam rounded on him. 

 

"Liam, come on buddy." Stiles groaned. "You're supposed to be way on top of this shit now." 

 

"I am, okay? I was just following a scent and-" Liam tried to defend himself but he could feel Scott's eyes on him. 

 

"Got distracted?" The alpha replied with something he was sure was supposed to be understanding but sounded annoyingly like pity. Liam snarled. 

 

"Look, Liam, it's okay." Stiles said soothingly. "You're still a puppy and-" 

 

"Fuck off with the puppy jokes, Stiles!" Liam snapped, turning his back on his friends and darted into the depths of the school. 

 

Three shouts followed him but he ignored them, instead he picked his way through the complex and ran into the woods on the other side of the lacrosse pitch. 

 

He didn't realise what a dumbass decision that was until he was standing amongst the thickest area of trees- which wasn't very thick at all- breathing heavily and suddenly very aware that he was too far away from home to walk and he was alone, now that he had successfully stormed his way off the school grounds. 

 

"Way to prove you're over the puppy with anger issues thing." He snarled at himself. "Idiot." Liam did actually know that he had come a long way from being the short-fused burden of the pack, and although the idea completely terrified him, a part of him knew Scott had been right about what he had said earlier about Liam becoming an alpha. But that didn't mean he had to be perfect, right? He kicked a dead branch and watched it sail through the air and land a few feet away from him in a pile of leaves. Branches were lucky, they didn't have to worry about shit like this. They didn't have to worry about disappointing their alphas or asshole chimeras ruining their lives. 

 

"You planning to sulk out here all night?" A certain asshole chimera ruining his life appeared out of the blackness like a wraith. 

 

Liam narrowed his eyes at the unperturbed look on Theo's face. "Yep." He declared stubbornly. Theo let out a snort that somehow sounded a lot like 'dumbass' and it annoyed Liam more. "Are you fucking off soon? I had planned to do the sulking in private." He said, as though he hadn't just been contemplating swallowing his pride and going back into the school to find them all. 

 

"Dramatic douchebag." He heard the chimera mutter but before Liam could snark back a reply, Theo spoke again. "I'm sorry, alright?" Liam froze. Was Theo _apologizing_ to him? He blinked. Was there an invisible gun being held to Theo's head that Liam wasn't aware of? 

 

"Um..." Liam opened and closed his mouth several times but sure enough, the entirety of the English language had deserted him. 

 

"I forgot your anger is still an issue with them-" 

 

"It's not an issue with them." Liam lied. 

 

Theo raised a brow, hearing the uptick in his heartbeat. "Well, you've never had an issue around me so it's-" 

 

"That's because-" Theo was right. For some reason, Liam hadn't felt his I.E.D. fight to the surface in a way that was uncontrollable in... Well, since Theo had returned, and sure enough, on the occasions when he lost his temper around Theo it had always been in a way that didn't really scare Liam, not the way it used to. Not the way it had once controlled his life and made him scared to go out of the front door. No, these times were more like a rush of adrenalin and a short sharp burst of anger that Liam guessed was how anger was _supposed_ to feel. How he assumed it felt to someone without I.E.D., to someone normal. Those few times actually made him feel normal, well, as normal as a teenage werewolf can possibly be. 

 

Liam had always been on the outside looking in, all of his life, when he was young it was because of his father leaving, when he was older the jokes and comments from the other kids kickstarted him into fighting and brawling and before he knew it, he was and would always be 'the kid with anger problems'. Anger had made him more of a monster than being a werewolf ever had. The thought of the word monster made him look up. He had called Theo a monster only a couple of weeks ago. And now here he was, apologizing of his own free will to someone he didn't give a shit about. 

 

As Liam looked at Theo, who was staring at him with a clear 'Liam is stupid' expression, waiting for him to finish his sentence, Liam realised he hadn't actually thought of Theo as a monster in a long time, even when he had told him about killing Monroe. It had confused him a little maybe, but he still hadn't put him back in the 'big bad murderous chimera' box. 

 

If Theo could change, leave the monster side of him behind, then who was to say Liam couldn't? Who was to say Liam _hadn't_? He hadn't had a really bad episode in a long time, and if tonight was anything to go by, his problems weren't even that much of a big deal. Right? 

 

"That's because...?" Theo prompted, with a 'Liam is getting stupider by the minute' expression. 

 

"What? Oh, that's because I don't really care if I lose it around you." He said airily, his thoughts sparing little attention to his mouth. 

 

A muscle ticked in Theo's jaw. "Because if you're going to lose it around someone it's better to lash out at me than anyone else?" 

 

"Exactly." Then Liam noticed the coldness in Theo's eyes and reversed over his words, hastily. "No, not because, argh, I don't know how to explain it alright-" 

 

"No kidding." 

 

"Shut up. It's like, however bad I get, I trust you and I know you can handle it and it won't fuck things up, not really. Like, you don't care, and you don't look at me differently for it. With them, they're the best and I love them and everything but they remember every time, every episode, it's like another black mark against my name." Liam trailed off, his thoughts had taken over his monologue and despite having said all that out loud, it took him a minute to realise that there was someone else with him that would usually have said something by now. Liam looked up. Theo wasn't looking at him. He was looking at a patch on the floor and was standing very still. Liam panicked, and backtracked through what he had said, what had freaked Theo out? 

 

In a flash Theo seemed to unlock and he smirked at Liam with his usual smug-asshole face. "Is that why I'm the only one you let call you Anger pup?" 

 

Liam blinked. "What?" 

 

"Nothing. What were you doing in the school tonight, anyway?" Theo turned his back on Liam and started walking towards the school, expecting Liam to follow him, which Liam did but only because he was very definitely above sulking in the woods now. 

 

"Scott wanted to talk to me on patrol and then Stiles dragged us down here to see who had broken in." His voice subdued a little at the thought of Scott's face that was probably waiting for him somewhere in the school right now. 

 

"Did you find out who it was?" The chimera said in a light tone that sounded like he could care less who had broken into the school. 

 

"No. Probably some homeless person." 

 

"Probably." Theo agreed absently. Then, "When was the last time you saw Coach?" 

 

Liam frowned at the strange question. "Um, toda- no, wait." Come to think of it, he hadn't seen Coach for a couple days. "Not since Monday actually. Why?" 

 

Theo shrugged and Liam waited for him to say more. When he didn’t, Liam opened his mouth to probe. "Are you going to tell me why you were at the school?" 

 

Theo looked sideways at him and Liam could see him considering lying to the beta. 

 

"Nope." He said eventually. 

 

Liam rolled his eyes inwardly. At least it was better than a lie. 

 

"Fine. Carry on not trusting me." But the words didn't carry any venom. Liam had finally realised what he had said before. He trusted Theo. And he did. Let him have his secrets. 

 

Theo snorted, a soft scent of ease washed through the air at Liam dropping the subject. "I don't not trust you." 

 

Liam raised an eyebrow in challenge, silently allowing Theo to steer the conversation back onto familiar territory. "You could try not not trusting me." 

 

Theo snapped the most deadpan expression Liam had ever seen at him and Liam wondered if the chimera had had the expression ready, predicting the beta to say something stupid. Which he totally hadn't. It made perfect sense! But one more look at the chimera made Liam decide not to voice this argument. 

 

"Scott was talking about me becoming alpha." Liam said quickly, trying to change the subject. "Do you think I'm ready?" 

 

Theo let out a bark of laughter. "No." 

 

"What? Why not?" Liam frowned, more than a little offended. 

 

"You would be a rubbish alpha." Theo said through his laugh. 

 

"I would not!" 

 

"You don't even study. You're never going to graduate at this rate." 

 

Liam huffed. "I least I go to school." 

 

"I lived underground!" 

 

"Pfft. Excuses. Excuses-" Liam waved a hand dismissively. Then promptly let out a loud yelp as Theo tackled him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there was me like, hmm ok I have finals maybe this chapter will take me a couple of weeks longer and boom 2 months later... I'm sorry guys. Uni sucks, work sucks, life sucks in general when everything has to come before writing.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you like this chapter and I really hope the next one won't be long


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